


The Life They Built, Together

by Supercorpismylife



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Gore, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I'm so sorry, Idiots in Love, If not just know side character death, Inspired by The Hunger Games, Kara with a bow and arrow, Killing, Last one standing wins, Like tooth rotting flush, Lots of side character deaths, Love, Neither of our main lesbians die, Nia is Rue, Slow Burn, SuperCorp, Teenagers killing teenagers, Thrown into a death arena, Trigger warnings for a some abuse but not graphic, With A Twist, background sanvers, but don't worry, but there is also fluff, if you know you know, like really gay, swears, they're all teenagers, this is really gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:27:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 38
Words: 62,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26057206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Supercorpismylife/pseuds/Supercorpismylife
Summary: Miss Grant walks up to the microphone, opens the strip of paper, and reads it aloud.“Lena Luthor!”Kara wraps Lena into a warm embrace, tears starting to spill over.“Kara I need to go,” Lena says, snapping out of her dazed state.Kara still doesn’t let go, until Lena wriggles from her grasp.“And for our next tribute, Kara Danvers!”_____This story is a rewriting of the first Hunger Games book. No it is not even close to word for word. This story follows the majority of the main plot lines of the first book. Keep in mind that MANY scenes and parts of the story are changed due to being different characters and just because that's how I wanted to write them. This story is basically a mix of Suzanne Collins amazing plot work, and then my writing. There are some details left out from the first book and MANY added that I created with my own writing along the way. Disclaimer, this story is set during the 25th Hunger Games, the first Quarter Quell, instead of the 74th Hunger Games. Everything gets explained. If you like the Hunger Games or if you just want a good read, please enjoy this story!I will be posting a chapter daily so stay tuned!
Relationships: Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers, Alex Danvers & Lex Luthor, Alex Danvers & Maggie Sawyer, Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer, Kara Danvers & Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers & Nia Nal, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Lena Luthor & Lex Luthor
Comments: 371
Kudos: 709





	1. The Black Haired Beauty

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like it! Enjoy!

Alex and Kara crawl under the fence surrounding District 12. Just like usual, the fence electricity is turned off. They stroll through town, a satchel of berries and herbs hung over Kara’s shoulder. Alex’s game bag is filled with a turkey and a few rabbits. 

“Let’s go to the Hob first and trade. Then we’ll go to the bakery and buy a loaf of bread for tonight. Hopefully, the baker’s wife won’t be there. Old hag. And...you’ll get to see Lena.”

A pink blush rises on Kara’s cheeks. 

“Alex stooooppp,” Kara draws out. 

“No Kara. You have been ooogling her for years. Just ask her out already. Then I won't have to endure your long glances and awkward interactions in the hallway at school anymore. God Kara! You’re 16, you need to go out and have some fun for a change,” Alex encourages. 

“I don’t have time for that Alex. Between hunting and school, there isn’t much time for, what do you call it? Fun?” Kara says, looking exasperated. 

“Okay, well let’s test that theory out when we get to the bakery. For now, first one to the Hob gets extra soup!” Alex shouts as she starts to race off. 

“Hey that’s not fair!” Kara exclaims as she runs after Alex.

By the time Kara reaches the Hob, she’s out of breath and smells of coal dust due to the mine she passed by to get to the Hob faster. As she walks in, she sees Alex perched on Maggie’s soup station. She sits there, bowl in hand, chatting to Maggie and the town peacekeeper James. 

James is not like most peacekeepers. He knows that Alex and Kara go past the fence everyday, even though it’s against the rules. As long as he gets his berries for his wife Lucy from the two girls, he doesn’t care. 

“Hey Maggie, how ya doing?” Kara asks as she walks up to the group.

“Not bad besides your sister here keeps eating all my soup! You better pay for that Alex!” she says with a glare in Alex’s direction, elbowing her in the ribs. 

“Ow! Kara I’m being abused!” Alex exclaims, rubbing the spot Maggie hit. 

“You asked for it Alex,” Kara says, waving her off. 

“I’ll pay for the soup in kisses if you want?” Alex suggests, batting her eyelashes towards Maggie. 

Maggie huffs. 

“You really know how to charm a girl, don’t ya Danvers?”

“Well, is it working?” she asks with a raise of her eyebrow. 

“Definitely,” Maggie responds as she leans in for a kiss.

Alex and Maggie had been dating for over two years. They had always liked each other, sharing multiple classes in school. They were friends at first, until Alex finally summed up the courage to ask her out. They were 16 at the time. Now they’re 18 and are praying that neither of them get picked in their last year of the reaping. 

“James, shield my eyes!” Kara yells as her sister and Maggie start to make out. 

“Kara go trade while I kiss my girlfriend,” Alex says without even glancing in Kara’s direction. 

“Ugh,” Kara says as she goes to trade some of the berries they gathered. She walks over to Winn’s table. He always gives them the fairest price. Winn spends most of his time in Hob trading. Since his dad died in the same mine accident that killed Kara’s parents and Alex’s father, Jeremiah, he trades here to support his family. 

“Hiyah Winn! How are you doing today?”

“Pretty good! Lots of people have been buying the tools I’ve been building,” he says, holding up one of his trinkets. 

Even though Winn spends most of his time in the Hob rather than school, he is still extremely smart and very good at tinkering.

“Oh! That reminds me. I made you a new bow,” he says, pulling out the weapon. 

Kara stretches out her hands, ready to take the object. Once the wood touches her hands, she’s hit with a wave of awe. She runs her hands over the wood, examining the work Winn had done. It’s smooth and perfectly shaped. The string is tight, but still has a good amount of pull back. As she brings the bow up to practice her shooting position, she sees the initials carved into the base of the wood. 

ZL.

The initials of Kara’s father. They bring her back to that day when he taught her how to use a bow like the one she holds in her hands now. 

______

“Now Kara, slowly pull the string back,” he instructs. 

They’re in the woods, leaves on the ground due to the fall season. Kara stands in a braced position. Her feet planted sternly into the ground, right foot in front of the left. Her knees are slightly bent as she pulls the string back with her left hand. 

“Lift your elbow. It’s starting to droop,” Kara’s father says as he comes back from behind her, lifting her elbow up into the proper position.

Kara pulls the string farther back to its max. Her eyes focus in on the tree in front of her. The wood is bulky, indents of shaved wood lining the base. It’s brown, but a lighter shade rather than dark mossy brown that accompanies other trees. Her eyes then zero in on the center. 

“Now fire,” Kara’s father whispers.

She lets the arrow fly, soaring through the air. It sticks into the middle of the tree, carving little flecks of wood out of the base. 

“I did it!” Kara jumps up, squealing in a childish tone. 

“Yes you did!” the man says as he lifts his daughter up, throwing her over his shoulder and spinning around in circles. 

Kara screams in excitement, arms flailing as she hangs off her dad’s back. 

Eventually, the man sets Kara down. He kneels down to her little eight year old level. When he sees her face, he brushes the blonde curls backwards. He then leans in and kisses her forehead. 

“We’ve got to get home and give mama the ingredients for tonight. Roasted bird!” he exclaims, picking Kara up and placing her on his hip. 

“Yum,” Kara says, rubbing her tummy. 

They then walk off, back towards the fence that disconnects District 12 from the rest of the world. 

______

Kara is brought back to the present, realizing that she’s still staring at the bow that Winn had made for her, her hands freezing on the wood. 

“Thank you Winn,” she says with a sad smile, throat tight with emotion. 

“It was my pleasure. Now, onto the trading. I’ll give you five coin for that bag of berries.”

“Sounds good to me,” Kara says as she sets the bow down, dumping out a handful of the fruit from her satchel. 

Kara trades for the next 15 minutes, making sure to keep some food for dinner that night. She shouts over to Alex who is still talking with Maggie. 

“Alex let’s go! We need to get to the bakery before it closes!”

“Got to go babe! Kara has to go see her girlfriend,” Alex says to Maggie, dragging out the word girlfriend and leaving Maggie with a quick kiss. 

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Kara yells back. 

“Yeah, yeah. First one to the bakery gets extra berries tonight!” Alex says before dashing off.

Kara sprints after her making sure not to lose this time.

“Haha! In your face!” Kara says as she reaches the shop first.

“This is bullshit! You tripped me 30 yards back!”

“More like my leg accidentally extended in front of yours,” Kara reasons. 

“Sure,” Alex says with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest. 

Walking into the bakery, they are greeted with Mrs. Luthor behind the counter, also known as “old hag” as Alex would put it. She looks at them like they are rodents searching for scraps. Since they’re from the Seam, they aren’t wearing the nicest clothes. Kara is wearing scrappy pants with her father’s brown leather hunting jacket, while Alex is wearing her hunting boots and similar pants. Both are wearing stained button up shirts. 

“Hello Mrs. Luthor! Alex and I are here today to buy a small loaf of bread,” Kara says in her same cheery voice that she uses with everyone. It sounds a little forced this time. 

“Ha! Like you two could afford bread,” Mrs. Luthor says with a disdainful laugh, arms crossed over her chest as her posture stands upright, sitting on a stool behind the counter. 

“Actually, we can,” Kara says, reaching into her pocket to pull out three coins, gently placing them on the counter. 

Mrs. Luthor stares with narrow eyes, until she decides to get them what they asked for. 

“Lena!” the woman shouts. 

Kara hears the pounding of feet on the stairs as someone makes their way down. Eventually, a figure emerges from behind the wall. 

At the bottom step stands Lena, the youngest child of the Luthor family and Kara’s longtime crush. 

She looks immaculate, light from behind her illuminating her figure and shining off her silky black hair. Her skin is as pale as moonlight, besides the light blush that colors her cheeks when she spots Kara. She stands awkwardly, wearing similar clothes to Kara, but cleaner and not as worn down. 

“Lena, get these girls a loaf of bread from the back,” Lillian demands.

“Yes mother,” Lena says as she scampers into the back room. 

Kara stares after her until she comes back with a plump loaf of bread. As Lena walks towards her mom, she chances a glance at Kara. When their eyes meet, Lena quickly looks down. 

“Here you go mother,” Lena says, shrinking under her mother’s gaze.

“Not this one!” Mrs. Luthor says, smacking Lena on the side of the head. “Get the burnt one from the back.”

Lena pauses for a second, not seeming to care that she was just hit by her mother, like it was a common act. 

“But mother-” Lena dares to defy. 

“Now! Or not only are you not eating dinner, but you’re also not eating breakfast!” the God-awful woman exclaims. 

“Okay mother,” Lena says as she goes to get the other loaf of bread.

Kara feels horrible for Lena. Yes, Kara has had struggles in her own life with her father and mother dying in the mine accident, but at least she has a loving family now with the Danvers.

Lena returns with a burnt loaf of bread and a sad smile in Kara’s direction. She places the bread on the counter next to Kara’s money. 

“Four coins,” Mrs. Luthor tells Kara, holding out her hand to collect the money. 

“But the board says three coins?” Kara questions.

“For town folk yes, but for you it’s four,” Mrs. Luthor says with a smug look on her face. 

With a frustrated huff, Kara takes out an extra coin from her pocket, adding it to the original pile. She picks up the loaf of bread and gets ready to leave. With one last smile at Lena, Alex and her walk out. 

Only walking 20 yards away from the bakery, Kara hears someone calling her name.

“Kara!”

As she turns around, she sees Lena’s form running in her direction. When she nears, Kara can already see the bright red spot starting to form on her temple. 

“Lena?”

“Hey, I’m sorry about my mom. She’s a real bitch sometimes,” Lena pauses, mulling over her words. “Correction, all the time. Here’s the original loaf that I got you. You deserve it. And here’s your extra coin she made you pay,” Lena says, holding out the bread in one hand and the coin in the other. 

“Oh Lena, you don’t have to do that. If she finds out…”

“Don’t worry about it. She won’t find out,” Lena says with a wave of her hand.

“Are you sure?” Kara questions warily. 

“Of course,” she responds with a smile.

Kara would do anything to see that smile again. The way the skin around her eyes crinkles. And those eyes. They’re so green. They look like the most healthy of trees as light shines down, illuminating the leaves. 

“Thank you Lena. Really,” Kara says, taking the objects from her outstretched hands. 

“It’s my pleasure,” Lena says sincerely. “Well, I’ll see you at school! Good luck with the Quarter Quell announcement tonight!” 

“Good luck to you as well!”

Lena then turns around to run back home before Mrs. Luthor realizes she’s gone. 

Kara stands looking off in the direction Lena ran, eyes dazed and blush evident on her cheeks. 

“Gay,” Alex says, coughing the word into her hand. 

Kara elbows her in the side, forgetting that Alex was there in the first place. 

They then walk home. Kara with a bright smile on her face and Alex by her side smirking.


	2. The Announcement

Kara sits on a stool in their family’s kitchen. Eliza is nearby, busying herself making dinner. Alex sits next to Kara, munching on a bowl of berries. 

She glares at Kara who is eating her extra berries that she won in their race to the bakery. Alex reaches over and steals one.

“Hey!” Kara exclaims, slapping at Alex’s hand. 

“That’s for tripping me,” Alex says with a glare.

Kara shoves the girl’s arm, starting a skirmish. They hit each other back and forth, eventually getting more aggressive. 

“Girls! No fighting!” Elliza says, applying seasoning to the rabbit. 

“We’re training mom! Kara here has to improve her hand to hand combat skills,” Alex says, jabbing Kara in the side. 

“Oh yeah?” Kara asks, before she launches herself off the stool, wrapping her arm around Alex’s neck in a choke hold. 

Alex tries to wriggle out of her grasp, straining herself. She kicks her legs out, struggling against Kara's grip. Eventually she realizes that the girl is too strong for her to break free. Her windpipe starts to get tighter, causing her to quickly tap out.

Releasing Alex from her hold, Kara sits back down, throwing another berry in her mouth with a look of satisfaction occupying her face. 

“And besides. I don’t need hand-to-hand combat when I can shoot. I would sit there perched up in a tree ready to pounce. The other people wouldn’t know what hit em,” Kara states. 

“Yeah, I’ll give you that,” Alex says with surrender, rolling a berry back and forth in between her fingers. 

Eliza watches on as she cooks up the rabbit the girls brought home from hunting. They traded the rabbits Alex had caught in her traps, keeping only the one Kara had shot. 

Kara has always hunted from a young age. She begins to think back to the day she met Alex, ironically through hunting.  
_____

It is a random day in summer, Kara is around the age of 11. Her father and mother are working in the mines so it’s her job to get the food for dinner. As she stalks through the woods, waiting for a small animal to run by, she sees a sliver of light reflect off an object under some leaves. She walks up to it, ready to reach out and examine the object, before Alex comes from around a tree holding two rabbits by the neck. 

“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you,” Alex informs.

Kara startles, jumping back from the object. She holds her hand to her heart that is now beating erratically. 

“Golly! You scared me!” Kara exclaims.

“You startle easily,” Alex laughs, putting her hand over her mouth to muffle her chuckling. She lays the two dead rabbits down beside her on the ground, walking towards Kara. She extends her hand towards the younger girl.

“I’m Alex.”

Kara stares at the hand, wary of what her next move should be. Eventually, she grabs it firmly, set in her decision to accept the redhead’s offered hand. 

“Kara.”  
_____

Over the next year, they hunted together constantly. Both contributed to each other’s families, helping each other out and sharing the loads they gathered. When Kara’s parents had died, Alex had just lost her father as well in the same explosion. Alex and her mother Eliza were quick to take Kara in, putting a roof over her head and treating her like she was always part of the family. Like she wasn’t just some strangler that needed help. They mourned their losses together. 

The two girls started off as hunting friends and quickly became sisters.

Kara is pulled back to the present when she hears Eliza announce, “Girls, time for dinner.” 

The woman brings the meat over to the dinner table, adding to the cooked herbs, radish soup, and the bread they got from the bakery.

“This all looks delicious Eliza, thank you,” Kara says as she sits down, putting her napkin on her lap. Even though they’re from the Seam, Eliza made sure Alex and Kara had polite manners. 

As they all start to dig into their food, Alex speaks.

“Kara finally spoke to Lena today.”

“Allllleeeeeexxxx,” Kara draws out, blush coating her cheeks. 

“That’s great honey! Lord knows you’ve been pining over her for years,” Eliza says, taking a bite out of a piece of bread. 

“Have I really been that obvious?” Kara asks, looking around the table.

“Kara, Winn told me you were caught drooling once in math class. The teacher had to drop a book on the floor to get your attention,” Alex points out. 

“That wasn’t one of my proudest moments,” Kara says, looking back down at her food. 

After a few moments of silence, Eliza pushes further. 

“So..what did you and Lena talk about?”

“We didn’t speak much. She ran out of the bakery to give us a good loaf of bread instead of the original burnt one Mrs. Luthor gave us. That woman is horrible,” Kara says, scrunching up her nose in disgust. 

“I would compare her more to an old hag that preys on children for fun, but horrible also works,” Alex adds, bringing her fork up to her mouth. 

“She hit Lena right in front of us when Lena did nothing wrong!” Kara continues to rant, flailing her hands around that still contain her cutlery. 

“Oh no, that’s horrible!” Eliza says with a frown.

“I know! Lena also gave us back our extra coin. Mrs. Luthor charged us four coins even though the bread usually only costs three,” Kara continues. 

“Well, Lena sounds even more lovely than how you described her before. Hopefully her mother will stop treating her so poorly. Maybe we can have her over for dinner some time?” Eliza suggests. 

Kara’s eyes light up at the suggestion. 

“Really? That sounds great! Thank you Eliza,” Kara says with a dopey smile.

“Yeah if Kara could muster up the courage to ask her out,” Alex says teasingly.

Kara elbows Alex in the side, which gets a glare from Eliza. Trying to distract the girls, Eliza starts up more conversation. 

“How’s Maggie doing, Alex?” Eliza questions. 

“She’s doing well. Her family’s food is selling consistently in the Hob so they’re making good money. It's nice to see her less stressed about everything. Money, food, school. She even agreed to let me take her hunting sometime!” Alex explains, smile starting to make its way onto her face as she talks about her girlfriend. 

“That’s fantastic,” Eliza compliments, always eager to hear about her daughters’ lives. 

They continue eating dinner, making light conversation here and there. As they speak, Kara’s mind drifts off to Lena. If only Kara could sum up the courage to ask her out. Then again, Lena probably isn’t even into her anyway, she thinks. 

After dinner, they all gather in their family room waiting for the hologram to come on, announcing what sick twist the 25th Hunger Games would entail. “The First Quarter Quell” the Capitol calls it. So not only will kids be sent into a death arena to kill each other, there will also be some crazy change to spice things up. Just peachy. 

Alex breaks the silence. “What do you think it will be?” she asks, sitting criss-crossed next to Kara on the floor. 

“I honestly have no idea. I just hope it lessens our chances of getting picked,” Kara says, grim look taking over her features. 

“I heard kids at school talking about some of the possibilities. One said they might double the amount of kids. So instead of two from each district, there would be four,” Alex states. 

“That sounds horrible. Imagine, 48 kids all packed into one arena. Hopefully that’s not the case. Maybe the tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors?” Kara guesses.

“Nah, that would never happen. They would need more previous victors. It wouldn’t be spicy enough. Also the people in the Capitol would probably get pissed that their beloved victors would have to kill each other,” Alex reasons. 

They continue to sit idly for some time, before the Capitol music starts to play and the hologram TV is displayed. 

There on the TV is the famous President Lockwood. He looks so refined. Fancy slick suit with his perfectly cut brown hair. Kara noticed throughout the years that he always has a handkerchief in his left breast pocket, a dark gold star emblazoned on the material. As he stands behind a podium, looking out on an audience of Panem citizens, a box rests in front of him, made of dark ivory wood. 

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen! This is the 25th year of the Hunger Games. It was written in the charter of the games that every 25 years, there would be a Quarter Quell, to keep fresh for each new generation the memory of those who died in the uprising against the Capitol. Every year for the past 25, each district has brought forth one male and one female tribute as sacrifice for the pain Panem endured in the uprising. Each Quarter Quell is different from the yearly games in a special significance. And now on the anniversary of the 25th year since the end of the rebellion, we celebrate a monumental time in our history. The First Quarter Quell!” he announces, eliciting cheers from the people watching the announcement in person. It sickens Kara to hear their enthusiasm, their excitement. 

The President continues his speech.

“You all must be wondering what we have in store this year. Let me calm your anxious nerves,” he says as he opens the box in front of him. 

In the box contains all the envelopes originally created when the games were first created. Each envelope contains a different spin, a different twist in how the games could go, how they could change. 

The President picks an envelope and opens the perfect gold ceil. He pulls out a letter, holding it out in front of him as he begins to read. 

“For the First Quarter Quell, a reminder of the power of the Capitol, that even the strongest can not overthrow, the tributes of the 25th Hunger Games will each be female, reaped from the bowl of their district. In total, there will be 24 tributes, all woman. Men will not participate this year, instead watching on as the woman shall fight. I hope you all receive this message in good health. Thank you for listening to this announcement and I bid you well,” the man says. The screen then changes to the symbol of Panem, Capitol music playing over the image. 

And with that, the hologram shuts off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GASP! Nah based on the summary you probably assumed something like this would happen. Don't worry, the story will get better. These chapters have been mainly plot progression, but eventually there is a lot of added detail and fluff. But also angst. Whoops


	3. Reaping Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the few plot lines that aren't followed. One sister does not volunteer for the other. I felt that even though Alex was protective, they had a different dynamic than Katniss and Prim did in the original book.

Reaping day. The day that will drastically change two female lives. Drastically change two families. And now, they have to live through it. 

Kara stands in her and Alex’s room. On the wall hangs a mirror. It’s dirty and quite worn down, given to Eliza by her mother when she moved to the Seam after getting married to Jeremiah. 

Next to Kara, Alex and Eliza go through the girls’ shared wardrobe, trying to pick out something to wear for the redhead. 

“Do I really have to wear a dress this year, mom?” Alex complains.

“How about we compromise? You don't have to wear a dress, but you have to wear a skirt and a blouse,” Eliza suggests, pulling out a white blouse with a dark grey skirt. The Danvers only have a few sets of nice clothes, but they will do. 

“Deal!” Alex exclaims, snatching the clothing combo and leaving to go change. 

Meanwhile, Kara is already dressed in her late mother’s light blue dress. She pinches the material of the dress between her fingers, watching her reflection in the mirror. Looking herself up and down, she comes to focus on her eyes. The light blue of the dress makes her eyes stand out. They shine brightly against the lighter material. A smile forms on her face, before it quickly falls as she thinks of what this day entails. 

Reaping day was always horrible. Waking up from nightmares usually started the 24-hour period, followed by the painful fear of what was to come later. Once actually at the reaping, adrenaline courses through your veins even if you are standing in place. You always wait until the name of another person comes off of the famous Cat Grant’s lips. Then, you celebrate. You go home and eat dinner with your family and go to bed that night with a smile on your face, knowing that no, this wasn't the year you get taken from your home. 

Then there are always those two houses, blinds pulled down over the windows. Not a single sound comes from those homes. All the lights are shut off because they have nothing to celebrate. They have nothing to smile about, but have everything to dread because their child was picked. Their child was sent to more than likely, their death. 

This year is even worse due to the fact that the chances have doubled of either Alex or herself getting picked. The thought of both of them getting picked leaks into Kara’s mind before she physically shakes her head, trying to dispel the thought.

Even though the chances have doubled, they still have a pretty good chance of coming home tonight. Of celebrating with Eliza. Most kids aren’t as lucky as them. 

The majority of children in District 12 have to apply for tessera, a food package in exchange for your name being put into the reaping bowl more times. With all the hunting that Alex and Kara have done over the years, they never had to apply. They always had enough food to get by. Sadly, other families don’t have the opportunity the girls do, having to apply for food even though it pains them to do so. 

If Kara’s math is correct, Alex’s name is only in six times and Kara’s four. Ten measly strips of paper could change either of their lives drastically. The thought makes her shiver. 

Kara’s mind drifts to Winn and how his mother must be relieved that her only family and son is saved for at least one more year. Thinking of Winn reminds her of the new bow he made her. Reminds her of her father. Of his bright smile and the way his songs always lulled her to sleep. The way he would laugh so freely in the woods. The way a crinkle formed in between his eyebrows right before he let his arrow fly. The same crinkle she possesses. 

Kara wonders how he would possibly get through a day like today. At least he never had to see a day like this, his daughter possibly being taken away from him. The same goes for her mom. She bets the brunette’s hair would have become thin, strands turning white from stress. Her beautiful face would become tarnished with eye bags, exhausted from not enough sleep, mulling over the day that was to come. 

With that last thought, Kara steps into the kitchen of their one story, worn-down house. Alex is already there, sitting on a stool in her skirt and blouse. Her leg bounces, a nervous habit she gets before an exam at school or on the fateful Reaping Day. 

“You look good in that dress,” Alex compliments, nodding her head in the blonde's direction. 

“Thank you,” Kara says with a sheepish look, taking her place next to Alex on an identical stool. 

“Maybe a special someone will see you in it,” Alex says with a teasing smirk. 

“Shut up,” Kara says, hitting Alex on the arm. 

“Ow! That hurt,” Alex says with fake pain in her eyes. “Truly,” she adds, bringing her hand up to cup her arm. 

“Yeah sure,” Kara dead pans. She stares at her hands that wring together on the counter in front of her. 

After a few moments of lingering silence, Alex sparks up conversation. 

“So...are you ready for today?” Alex asks seriously. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be. But don’t forget our pact,” Kara says pointing her finger in Alex’s face with a serious glare.

“I would never,” Alex says, not an ounce of sarcasm. 

Alex and Kara made a pact the first year Kara’s name was put into the bowl. If ever one of them got picked, the other couldn’t volunteer. So far they haven’t had to worry about it. Hopefully they never will. 

“Are you girls ready to go?” Eliza asks, walking into the kitchen. She wears a light gray dress, plain and simple. Her hair is down, falling loosely around her shoulders. 

“Yep! Let’s go,” Kara says, grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling her off the stool she occupied. 

The three of them walk through town, looking at all the parents sending off their daughters. As they pass the bakery, they see Lena and her brother Lex walking down the stairs. 

“Hey Lena!” Kara says cheerfully, waving towards her figure. 

“Hello Kara!” Lena says walking up to them. She looks over the girl, smiling as she sees Kara’s clothing. “I like your dress. Really brings out your eyes,” Lena compliments, motioning her hand at the blonde. 

Kara ducks her head and fidgets with her glasses, blush creeping up her neck. “Thank you. I really like your dress as well.” 

Kara wasn’t lying when she said that. She really, really liked Lena’s dress. It was green and looked to be made out of cotton. It was modest, but it hugged Lena’s curves just in the right way. The dress also made Lena’s eyes pop, not that they needed any help. 

As Alex and Lex share knowing looks, Kara clears her throat. 

“Um, where’s your mom?” Kara asks, slight raise of her eyebrow as curiosity gets the best of her. 

Lex answers for Lena. “Mother said, and I quote, ‘I’d rather eat stale bread than stand outside in the heat for no reason,’” Lex says, putting up quotations as he repeats what his mother had spoken. 

Kara can see Lena’s features twitch slightly at the reminition of her mother’s words. Her face then becomes indifferent, seeming to block out the emotions that the statement brought. 

“Oh. Well, would you like to walk over with us? You can stand next to me in our section when we get there,” Kara suggests. 

“That would be great,” Lena says, indifferent face taken over by a smile. 

As Lena and Kara walk toward the main square, the rest of the group walks behind them. Their hands swing back and forth, slightly grazing as they slide past each other. A shiver is sent up Kara's spine at the contact. She looks down at her moving feet, trying to hide the blush that coats her cheeks. 

Eventually, they near the gathering of children and teenagers. Kara stops, looking out at the crowd. She then turns around, walking towards Eliza and Alex. 

“I love you Eliza,” Kara says as she hugs her adoptive mother.

The woman strokes her youngest daughter's hair, rubbing her thumb soothingly against the girl's scalp. “I love you too,” Eliza says as tears begin to well up in her eyes. 

Eliza then hugs Alex, whispering similar words to the girl. She then grabs both girls by their shoulders so they face her. 

“Stay safe my girls. I’ll see you after and we will have a beautiful dinner with the duck you brought home yesterday.”

Kara and Alex know there is a chance that their night won’t be like the one their mother described, but they still muster up similar nods. 

Turning around, Kara sees Lena in a tearful hug with her older brother. As Lena pulls away, Kara walks up to them. 

“You ready Lena?” Kara asks with sincerity.

“Let’s go,” she says with a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.

With that, they walk to the DNA analysis lines. Lena goes first, Capitol staff pricking her finger and identifying that yes, she is indeed at the reaping. Then Kara moves forward, face scrunching up in pain when they prick her finger tip. Finally Alex goes through the same process, but instead of pain showing on her face, all Kara sees is a blank stare. 

Walking forward and off to the side, Alex gives Kara one last hug.

“I love you Kara,” Alex mumbles into Kara’s neck, pulling her into a bone crushing hug.

“I love you too Alex. Don’t forget our-”

“I won’t. I won’t,” Alex repeats. 

The hug lingers until Kara pulls back and lovingly shoves Alex towards the 18 year old section where Maggie is waiting. 

Kara turns around to find Lena watching the scene.

“You ready?” Lena asks, repeating the phrase Kara had asked her earlier.

When Kara gives her a determined nod, they walk together towards the 16 year old section.

They stand next to each other in the large stuffy crowd. Every year, Kara always felt lost during Reaping Day. Lost in the sea of children, just another face in the crowd. Sometimes she would have panic attacks, chest tightening and breath becoming quick. But today, she feels calm. Still anxious, but calm. With Lena by her side, she feels anchored, in control. For a few minutes, all you hear is muffled conversations. Then, silence, as the familiar click of heels echoes throughout the gathering. 

With her straight blonde hair and fancy outfit, Miss Grant is one of the more tamed Capitol citizens. Most have hundreds of tattoos and plastic surgery aesthetics. Instead her face is natural, light makeup accenting her beautiful features.

“Welcome, welcome, to the 25th Annual Hunger Games and First Quarter Quell! Now before we get started, we have a video for you all the way from the Capitol!” Miss Grant says with fake enthusiasm, obviously bored of the same video that has been played for the past 25 years. As she turns around, the large screen above her illuminates.

Kara hears Lena whisper underneath her breath, “War, a terrible war” mimicking the deep and dark voice of the man in the video. 

At that Kara lets out a chuckle. She watches on as the man continues his speech, explaining the reason for the games and the sacrifice each district has to offer up. The video goes by fast, the same monologue repeating since Kara can remember.

Before Kara and Lena know it, Miss Grant is speaking again.

“Now the time has come to select the tributes. I would say ladies first, but obviously that is not needed this year,” Miss Grant says with a smirk, proud of herself at the joke she has made.

Kara looks to her right where Lena stands. Lena seems to have the same idea, meeting Kara’s look. Her green eyes are fearful, twinged with a sense of unease. 

Lena can tell that Kara is extremely anxious beside her. The way her eyes move from side to side, the speed of her breaths. Because of this, she grabs the girl's hand, giving it a quick squeeze. Kara gives her a small smile in return, full of thankfulness. 

Miss Grant walks up to the microphone, opens the strip of paper, and reads it aloud. 

“For our first tribute, Lena Luthor!”

Lena instantly freezes. Her hand stills in Kara's, tightening around the girl's fingers. Just as every year, after a name is called, silence follows. Lena doesn’t move, frozen in her spot next to Kara. 

“Lena Luthor? Come up my dear,” Miss Grant says, looking around over the plethora of faces. 

Kara looks over at Lena while tears start to fill her eyes. She instantly pulls her into a hug. Her anchor is being taken from her and now, she feels like she’s losing control. 

“Kara I need to go,” Lena says, snapping out of her dazed state. 

Kara still doesn’t’ let go, until Lena wriggles from her grasp. 

Kara watches as she walks toward the stage, cautiously, carefully. Kara’s chest starts to tense up, tears dripping down the sides of her face. She brings her hand up to her mouth, trying to stifle a sob. 

As Lena gets to the center of the stage, Miss Grant walks back over to the bowl. She picks out a slip with grace, like she’s at a candy shop picking a butterscotch candy out of its container. 

“And for our next tribute, Kara Danvers!”

Kara is stunned to hear her name called. For some reason, her legs move instinctively towards the stage. She walks up the center aisle, wide eyes of children staring at her with one emotion.

Pity.

From behind her, she hears someone scream her name. 

“Kara! Kara!”

Kara sees Alex run up behind her. She is grabbed by two peacekeepers and starts to get pulled back.

“Kara please! Let me do it! Please!” Alex exclaims with desperation, legs swinging around against the pull of the law enforcers. She thrashes her body, trying to run towards her sister. 

Kara knows that she can’t let Alex volunteer, so she shakes her head no. Desperately praying that Alex doesn't do something stupid, doesn't do what she promised she wouldn't. Maggie quickly races over from the 18 year old section and pulls Alex back.

“Alex come on,” Kara hears Maggie say as she pulls at the girl.

“No!” Alex screams, tears running down her face. 

Maggie pulls back harder, eventually dragging Alex’s body. Alex’s protests die out the farther away she gets. 

Kara turns back forward, continuing to walk towards the stage, again legs moving instinctively in the direction she knows she has to go. She feels her body move upwards, probably as she walks up the stairs. Once she reaches center stage, she stands next to Lena. She turns her head to the side at the same time Lena has a similar idea. Their eyes lock and Kara quickly grasps Lena’s hand in hers. Her anchor yet again, keeping her from completely breaking down. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the tributes who will represent District 12, Lena Luthor and Kara Danvers!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?


	4. Hugs and Talks

Kara sits on a plush couch. She stares around the room she sits in, observing the interior. 

After being picked, her and Lena were ushered into the Justice Building, the main government building of the district. Now she sits in a room that is fancy, refined. It all makes her feel out of place. Being from the Seam, Kara wasn’t used to lavish surroundings. She wasn’t used to lavish anything.

The couch that Kara sits on is a shade of red not too dark, but not too light. Kinda like the shade of an apple skin. The curtains are a light beige, matching perfectly with the expensive carpet. There’s a fireplace on the wall facing Kara, worn down from years of use. And right across from her sits a love seat, red matching the color of the couch she sits on. 

As Kara sits on the couch, she goes over the past hour in her head. It was all a blur, specific events standing out in her mind. She was standing next to Lena. Lena held her hand to reassure her. The reassurance didn’t help once Lena’s name was called. Kara hugged her, basically collapsing into her arms. Once Lena was on stage, Kara’s name was called. She walked up the steps with Alex screaming her name. The last thing she remembers is holding Lena’s hand on stage, the one thing anchoring her down. After that they were separated and taken to different rooms to say goodbye to their family members and loved ones.

And that’s where Kara waits now. Waits to say goodbye to Alex, Eliza, Winn. Possibly forever. With that last thought, the door bursts open.

“Kara!” Alex exclaims as she rushes in, Eliza following. 

Kara practically jumps off the couch, colliding with her sister in a hug. 

“Alex!” Kara says, reciprocating the hug. At this point, tears have started to well up in her eyes, but she will not let them fall. For Alex’s sake.

“We only have a few minutes,” Alex says, pulling back and holding Kara by the shoulders in her haste. “Kara, you can win this. You can. You have to. We’ve watched the games for years together. Talked strategies. Yeah we were joking around at the time, but you still have those in your head. Be conservative. Don’t get into fights if you don’t have to. I’ll keep mom and I fed while you're gone. Don’t worry, I’ll get her through this. Just make sure you stay safe. When you get in there, get to a bow as fast as you can. You can use it to hunt for food and as a weapon. You’re the best shot out there. If there’s no bow, then make one. You know how. You can win this,” Alex says, tears dripping down her cheeks. “You have to.” 

“I’ll try. I swear to you, I’ll try,” Kara promises. 

And try Kara will. But there’s little to no chance she’ll win. There are tributes who have been training their whole lives for the games. It’s their goal in life to win, to bring pride to their district. How can she compete with that? Yes, she’s fast and quite muscular for someone from the Seam, but still, what chance does she have?

Alex releases Kara from her hold, beckoning Eliza forward. Eliza instantly pulls Kara into an embrace.

“Stay safe and fight your heart out. Come home to me. To us. Please,” Eliza mumbles into Kara’s hair, cradling her head with her hand. “I can’t lose you too.”

Eliza then waves Alex over for a group hug. They stand together, reveling in each other’s embrace, until their moment is cut short.

In through the door bursts two peacekeepers. They start to drag Alex and Eliza away. 

“Kara we love you! Don’t ever forget! Come home to us!” Alex shouts, her eyes frantically wide as she reassures her sister. 

“I love-“ Kara gets out before the door slams shut. She reaches her hand out into the air, trying to grasp what is already gone. 

Once the door is closed, Kara is enveloped in silence. She feels awkward standing by herself in the center of the room. She feels cold as she brings her arms up around herself. Her glasses begin to slide down her nose as she looks at the floor. She doesn’t bother to push them back up. 

Suddenly, the door bursts open yet again. She’s not shocked to see Winn speed towards her. 

“Oh my God, Kara!” Winn says as he hugs the girl.

“Hey Winn,” Kara mumbles into his shoulder. 

“You’re gonna get through this,” Winn says, pulling back as he places one hand on her shoulder and the other on the side of her head. “You’re the fastest, strongest, most skilled person I know. If anyone has a chance, it’s you. When you get in there, get to a bow. You know how to hunt,” he repeats Alex’s words. 

“Animals. I know how to hunt animals, Winn,” Kara mumbles, anguish coursing through her body at the mere idea of hurting another person. 

“Kara, there’s no difference,” he says with a saunter look. His eyes drop to the floor, the reality that his best friend is being taken away, possibly to her death, hitting him like a full on train. At some point, his eyes snap up, meeting the girl’s teary eyed gaze. 

“I want to give you something,” he says, slipping his hand frantically into his back pocket. 

He pulls out the object from behind his back, holding it out for Kara to see. Laying flat on his palm is a pin, the size of about a quarter. The pin is circular, the outside frame resembling the rim of a basketball hoop. Attached to the rim is the body of a mockingjay. It’s figure is perfectly proportionate. Connected to the body are sharp wings, spread out in mid flight. There are etchings, dents shaping the wings, fine detail. The metal is finished off with gold coloring. Kara wonders how Winn pulled that off.

“Each tribute gets to take something into the games with them. A small token you could say. I know how much you love mockingjays because of your dad, so I made you this. Maybe it will remind you of his strength, of the love he had for you. Use that strength, channel it,” he says, holding out the pin for Kara to take. 

As Kara grabs the pin, letting the feeling of its weight spread across her hand, she remembers that fateful day her father spoke to her about mockingjays. 

_____

She sits on a log in the woods, observing the small animals scamper by. As a butterfly lands on her finger, she starts to hum her favorite lullaby.

Almost instantly, the sound is echoed around her throughout the forest. Kara whips her head back and forth, trying to figure out where the sound is coming from, but she can’t pinpoint a specific area. 

“Those are mockingjays,” Kara’s father says, walking up behind her, carrying a lifeless rabbit by the legs.

He sits down next to her on the bulky log. His frame is much bigger than Kara’s young one, shoulders broad and arms toned from years working in the mines. The sun reflects off his light brown hair. 

“Mockingjays?” Kara asks in a small, childish voice. 

“Mockingjays are a type of bird. They take a toon that you sing and repeat it back to you. They were formed when jabberjays were released into the wild. The birds mated with mockingbirds, creating a mix of the two we call mockingjays. Together, they formed a balanced species, not able to repeat words, but sounds. Here, watch this,” Kara’s father says, turning his head toward the sky. 

Kara’s father starts to sing a chord in his melodic voice. Then another chord, combining notes and forming a melody. 

Instantly, the birds repeat it back to him. 

“That’s so cool,” Kara says, childish eyes wide and mesmerized. 

“Not as cool as you,” Kara’s father says, ruffling his hand through her blonde curls. 

Young Kara lets out a shrieked giggle as her father starts to tickle her. 

“Daddy stop!” she exclaims.

____

Coming back to the present, a tear falls down Kara’s cheek. 

“Thank you Winn,” she says, the words coming out tight. 

He pulls Kara into another hug before the door swings back open, one peacekeeper this time coming to drag Winn out. 

As he’s being pulled away, Winn shouts, “You can do th-“ is all he gets out before the door is slammed shut. 

Kara is left in silence, hand playing with the cotten of her dress, rubbing it in between her fingers. The other still holds the mockingjay pin. Eventually, she moves to pin it just below her right collarbone, sticking out nicely against the light blue of her dress. 

Sitting back down on the couch, Kara waits for the peacekeepers to take her away. Who else would come to visit her? It should only be a few minutes now before she’s taken to the train station and in the end, to the Capitol. And with that thought, the door opens. Much lighter this time. Not as urgent as her other visitors. 

In walks a man Kara has only seen a few times before today. Kara recognizes him as Mr. Luthor.

“You probably don’t recognize me, I’m-“

“Mr. Luthor,” Kara finishes his sentence for him, standing up from the couch. 

“Right. Um, please sit dear,” he says gesturing towards the couch. 

Kara sits down, the man mimicking her action as he sits in the love seat across from her. He stares at the baffled features of the young girl, observing, leaning forward as his arms rest on his thighs. 

“You’re probably confused as to why I’m here,” the man starts. With Kara’s answering nod, he continues. “Please, let me explain. You might not know this, but my daughter has a liking to you. I don’t know what kind, but a liking nonetheless. Most days, you are the only reason I see her smile and for that, I am eternally grateful. I’ve admitted to myself that I’m a cold man, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Lena. She’s the main reason I’ve stayed with my family after all. Her smiles always brighten my day. For some time there, they disappeared. Her smiles I mean. But one day, she was sitting in our kitchen and I saw her turn toward the window. She flashed a big bright smile, her green eyes lighting up from whatever she saw. I went to see what she was looking at and I saw your retreating form, walking past our bakery through town. In the end, what I’m trying to say is that I feel that I owe some kind of debt to you and I would like to repay that. I wanted to tell you that if...if you um-” the man stammers. 

“If I die,” Kara fills in for him, her voice frighteningly calm. 

“Yes,” he says with pain that confuses Kara. “I’ll make sure your sister and mother have food on the table. Myself, just like everyone else in town knows that you and your sister go past the fence and hunt. We aren’t stupid. With you gone, your sister would have to pick up the slack. I’ll make sure she doesn’t work too hard. If they ever need help, I’ll be there,” he says with a nod of the head. 

“Th-thank you,” Kara stammers, a little choked up and surprised by his sincerity. 

Kara never knew that she meant so much to Lena. Sure, Lena always sent her smiles in the hall and she might have helped Kara with her math homework when no one else would, but really? Kara’s heart rate seems to pick up at the idea. 

The man begins to get up to leave. Kara lightly grabs his arm, forcing his gaze to meet the young girl’s. 

“Mr. Luthor?”

“Yes dear?” he responds with a questioning gaze. 

“I’ll look after her. I’ll try to keep her safe. For as long as I can,” Kara says, hoping he knows she’s talking about Lena. 

The man genuinely smiles, bringing his hand up to lightly squeeze Kara’s arm. 

“Thank you.”

He then opens the door to the room, slipping past the two peacekeepers guarding the door. He pats one of them on the shoulder, quickly turning right and out of Kara’s view. 

After he leaves, everything is again a blur. Peacekeepers come into her room, ushering her outside. There she is shoved into a town car. 

The leather she sits on is smooth. Kara runs her fingertips along the material, scratching her finger nail against the seat. 

Lena sits next to her, a good three feet of space between the two. When Kara looks up, she can tell that the girl has been crying, her eyes tear stained and red. 

Lena stares out the window, attention focused on an object out in the distance. Her hands shake in her lap, constantly fidgeting. After deciding, undeciding, then deciding again, Kara reaches over and places her hand on top of both of Lena’s. 

Lena looks over, eyes wide and uncertain. She looks like a lost deer, stumbling through the woods without anyone to run to, anyone to keep her safe. 

Kara interlocks their fingers and gives her hand a light squeeze, trying to help her feel secure. She rubs her thumb along Lena’s knuckles, soothing the girl’s turmoil.

As the car continues to move forward, Kara sees the train station come into view. When she sees a group of camera men crowding the entrance to the building, all dressed in extravagant outfits, Kara knows one thing for sure. The next however many weeks are going to be hell, and it all starts now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love hearing from you guys! Hope you like it so far!


	5. The Train Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so honestly, this is one of my least favorite chapters, but plot progression I guess so....I hope it's okay.

“Girls! Girls! Time to make your first debut!” Miss Grant exclaims excitedly as she gets out of the town car. She pauses to look the girls over. “I’m not sure the these worn down dresses will help your image, but I can work with it.”

Kara and Lena walk side by side into the train station. Cameras surround them, flashing and calling their names. The people of the Capitol need to document this moment. After all, Kara and Lena are a part of history being in the First Quarter Quell. 

As cameras flash in their faces, Miss Grant continues to talk their ears off. 

“You two will love the train. Compared to what you have been living in for the past 16 years, it will be a luxury. Delicious food, beautiful furnishings, and advanced technology all at your fingertips,” the woman boasts. 

And with that, the sleek silver train pulls up. Miss Grant heards them in. Kara goes in front of Lena, stepping up the stairs quickly, the flashing of the cameras starting to brother her. 

Once up the steps, she turns to her right. She pauses, not knowing where to go. 

“Well go ahead Kiera,” Miss Grant encourages from behind her. 

“Actually it’s Kara,” the girl corrects. 

“Yes, yes Kiera, Kara all in good will. Now walk forward dear,” the woman instructs. 

The girl rolls her eyes, eventually following the woman’s instruction. When Kara walks forward, a door in the wall slides open. She enters a separate train car, instantaneously enveloped in smells she can only describe as extravagant. 

Kara is surrounded in splendor. Stretched out, symmetrical windows line the walls of the train. Antique furniture decorates the room, colors clashing well with the carpeted floors. 

The blonde walks forward, dragging her hand along the pristine wood of a table. Laid upon the table is expensive china. Plates, matching cutlery, and delicately folded napkins. 

She turns backwards to look at Lena. The ravenette seems to be equally enamoured by her surroundings, jaw dropped and eyes comically wide, staring around in wonder. Kara then notices the two adjacent chairs, sitting perfectly centered and equally spaced at the front of the train car. They are plush blue, clashing well with the throw pills on the couch across from them. 

“Ladies, please sit down,” Miss Grant says as she sits on the small couch opposite the chairs. 

Kara and Lena follow the woman’s instruction, sitting down in the identical chairs. The two girls remain quiet, not really knowing what they should say or if they should say anything at all. 

They look around with curiosity, eyes roaming the area that surrounds them. Lena wasn’t from the Seam like Kara, but District 12 was still the poorest districts of them all. She too was not used to luxury. 

As the silence lingers for a few moments, Miss Grant decides to speak. 

“Now I know it might not be for long, but you should take the opportunity to enjoy these luxurious and lavish goods for the few days you have it,” Miss Grant says, pausing after to examine her nails. 

She blows on her fingertips until her head looks back up, continuing to speak. 

“Since we are here waiting, I’m going to go get Snapper.”

As she starts to walk off, Kara hears her mumble disdainfully under her breath, “He’s probably in the bar car.”

Kara examines her posture, the way she walks. It’s so graceful, precise. Somehow her six-inch heels seem to set the rhythm, the pace of her walk. 

“How do you think she walks like that all the time?” Kara asks, turning her head to look at Lena. 

Lena stares back, not seeming to have an answer to her question or just choosing not to voice it. Intrigue shines in the green orbs, head slightly tilting at the query. 

“I’m just saying, it looks tiring,” Kara says after Lena remains silent. 

Kara whips her head forward when the sound of a door sliding open reaches her ears. In stalks a man in what looks to be expensive clothing. A simple grey vest and matching pants, but obviously designer. The etching of thread accents the main grey color in an intricate design. As he nears Kara and Lena, he stops to look them over.

“Congratulations,” he slurs sarcastically. 

This man is drunk, or at least half-way there. He has a glass in his hand, obviously feeling the weight of the object but not completely realizing it’s there. Walking towards the small bar, he angrily grabs the bottle of scotch. 

“No ice?” he asks as he opens the ice container. 

Lena and Kara just shrug in innocence.

He slams the lid of the container down frustratingly and decides to pour his glass of scotch by itself. 

Shockingly, he sits down in front of them. To Kara’s surprise, Lena speaks.

“So...Snapper was it? What’s the plan here?” Lena asks, hands flying outwards as she leans forward. 

“Plan?” he asks with an amused chuckle.

“Yeah, plan. You’re our mentor, you’re supposed to tell us what we should do and help us get sponsors. Prepare us for the games,” Lena explains. 

“Hmmm, help you prepare. Well listen to this, hopefully I can get this through your head," the man says, leaning forward as if telling a secret. "There is nothing I can tell you, teach you, or help you 'prepare' in that will save you. You are most likely going to die within the next few weeks by the power of nature by God's grace or at the hands of another tribute and anything that I say now, will not change that outcome,” he explains, eventually leaning back and taking another sip of his drink. 

Lena, being frustrated, reaches for Snapper’s glass.

“I don’t think you need any more of this.”

That was a bad move on her part, as Snapper kicks her backwards, spilling his drink. Looking exasperated, Snapper speaks. 

“You made me spill my drink. You might not know this, but it angers me when someone tries to take what is mine,” he says exaspertaly, seeming to bring the glass backward to protect it. 

Starting to get up, Snapper announces that he is going back to his room. Not before grabbing a pastry on his way out.

After a few moments, Lena gets up. 

“I’m going to go speak to him.”

“Lena, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kara says.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make him listen,” Lena says determinedly before going through the sliding door. 

Kara is left to sit in the silence of the train car, alone. 

____________________________________

The next morning, Kara walks into the dining car from a restless night of sleep. She hadn’t seen Lena since the day before, when she went to talk to Snapper. Expecting to eat alone, she’s surprised to see Lena and Snapper already eating and chatting at the center table. 

As she sits down, she hears the tail end of their conversation.

“-never light a fire. That’s a good way to get killed,” Snapper says like he’s talking to a four year old. His motions are slow, lethargic, but done with more of a purpose than the day before.

“What are you guys talking about?” Kara asks with interest, quickly grabbing a plate and laying it down in front of her. 

“I’m just giving some advice that might save your life, ifyou'reinterested?” he rhetorically asks, last words mumbled as he shoves a pastry into his mouth. 

Kara is starving, due to the fact that she hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning. Loading up her plate with three, what do the Capitol people call them? Muffins? Then some eggs and what looks to be a few strips of meat. Kara thinks she will need to buff up for the games. Why not start now?

“I was just asking some basic questions like how you find shelter,” Lena explains, taking a sip from her orange juice. 

Kara notices the girl’s hair is lightly brushed out, a strand falling from the tight ponytail. She feels the urge to tuck the strand behind Lena’s ear, the thought making her blush. She quickly looks back down towards her plate. 

“Well how do you find shelter?” Kara asks with a mouthful of eggs. Kara sees Lena crack a smile at the sight, green eyes lighting up with amusement. 

As Snapper disregards her existence and pours more whisky into his coffee, Kara becomes more insistent. 

“Snapper, how do you find shelter?” sentence clear as she swallows her eggs. 

“Whoh, whoa. Give me a chance to come out of my sleep depor, ponytail,” he gruffs.

Kara doesn’t like the nickname.

As they continue to eat, a thought seems to come to Snapper’s mind. 

“What can you do with a knife?” he asks, a sense of curiosity shining in his dark brown eyes. 

Kara decides that this is her time to catch his attention. Maybe if he likes her skills, then he will help them more. The problem is, Kara is better with a bow-and-arrow than a knife. 

She picks up her butter knife carefully, dwindling it in between her fingers. She then turns her attention towards the wall, pulling her arm back. Kara lets the cutlery fly, trying her best to get it to stick in the wood. She is surprised to see it go right in the crease between the two boards. 

“Impressive,” he says, numbly nodding his head. “Looks like I got myself some fighters this year. Here’s the thing, my advice for both of you is to get people to like you. When you're in the games, whether you are freezing to death or starving, a box of matches or even a small blanket could mean the difference between winning and going home to your family in a box. And the only way to get those things is through sponsors. Sponsors will bet on you and then send in money to me, your 'mentor',” he says mockingly. “-to help you win. The more people like you, the more sponsors you will get,” he explains. 

Kara nods her head, taking in the information. She is a very likeable and talkative person. Hopefully, sponsors will think so too. 

Snapper’s speech gets cut off when Lena gets up from the table abruptly. 

“Look at it!” she exclaims as they pass and pull into the Capitol. She looks out a wide window, face glazed over in wonder. “Kara get up here,” she says, waving the girl over.

Kara gets up from the table as they pull into the station. There are thousands of Capitol citizens cheering and smiling at them through the train window, each outfit they wear more extravagant and loud than the next. As they pass, Lena starts to wave. Her hand moves back and forth, not rapidly but in a smooth manner. 

“Kara they’ll love it, wave,” Lena insists. 

So Kara starts to wave her hand with a cheery smile on her face. The more Lena and her wave, the crazier people react. After a few moments of waving, the windows go dark and they pull into the place they will be staying in for the next week. 

As Lena and Kara stand frozen in front of the windows, taken aback by the experience, Kara hears Snapper mumble behind them. 

“That’s a good start.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story gets better as Lena and Kara start to talk to each other more. Throughout the next few chapters, they learn a lot more about each other and begin to grow closer. Hopefully you'll stick around to see it!


	6. The Tribute Parade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, sorry, I know I promised supercorp dialogue but I SWEAR it's in the next few chapters. This one again is more plot progression, but there is some interaction in there. Hope you still like it though!

Right when they get off the train, they’re taken to be cleaned and prepped for the Tribute Parade. Their grand entrance into the Capitol. Basically, the first attraction of the games. 

Every district presents their two tributes in makeup and costume for the whole Capitol to see. 

So far Kara has been bathed, plucked of eyebrow hairs, and scrubbed with multiple creams and body washes. But to her surprise, they haven’t touched her hair. As Kara is pondering this, her stylists spread something on her legs.

“What’s that?” she asks with concern. Her blue eyes look curiously at the substance. 

“It’s just wax, honey. We need to get all this hair off you so you look more like a lady instead of a wolf,” they say with disdain.

It infuriates Kara how these people look at her like a project. Like work, instead of a fearful girl who’s about to be thrown into an arena to fight, most likely to no avail. Maybe it’s just because they grew up in the Capitol. They were taught to treat her like she was, in fact, a project. The thought gives Kara more sympathy for them. 

For the next ten minutes, they rip hair out of her skin. On her legs, arms, armpits. At this point, she’s as smooth as a shaved sheep. 

After a few more moments of screaming pain from having her leg hair tourn out, her stylists speak.

“You have a beautiful head of hair. I’d love to work with it, but J’onn won’t let us go anywhere near it.”

People have told Kara how beautiful her hair is before. Being bright blonde and naturally curly, people say that it makes her look like a ball of sunshine. Little do they know what this ball of sunshine has gone through. 

After another shower and scrubbing, Kara is sent into a separate room where they tell her to sit and wait. Nearing four minutes, yes she counted, idly fidgeting with her hands, the sliding door on the wall opens. 

In walks a man with a very tame appearance. He looks normal. No aesthetics or extensions, just natural dark-skin and some gold eyeliner. The man is dressed in all black, but somehow he makes it look in style. He walks up to Kara with a grim look on his face.

“I’m sorry that you have to go through this,” he speaks, soft voice laced with sympathy. 

He holds out his hand to shake. 

“My name is J’onn.”

Kara takes his hand.

“I’m Kara,” she responds, the feeling of bewilderment crossing her face. “Why are you apologizing? Pretty much everyone I’ve encountered so far has congratulated me,” she states.

“That’s a shame. You probably think horrible of us, seeing the way we act and dress,” the man says. 

“You seem much more tame than most,” Kara acknowledges. 

“That’s because I’m not from here. I always stood out because of my look. But I like it better that way. Now, to the reason I’m here. I’m your main stylist, here to help you in any way I can.”

“So basically, you are here to design what I wear for the Tribute Parade and other events like the interviews?” Kara questions. 

“Exactly, but I hope I can do more for you. Tonight is extremely important. You will be making your first impression on the people of the Capitol and possible sponsors. Now, most stylists design costumes that relate to the person’s district. You being from District 12, past stylists have dressed their tributes up as coal miners, but that just seems a little too bland don’t you think?” J’onn rhetorically asks. “I want these people to remember you. Once they see the outfit, it will give you a chance to worm your way into their hearts by being the real you. It takes some time to crack down these people,” he explains. 

The girl nods her head along, understanding the message J’onn is trying to get through. 

“Thank you J’onn,” Kara says with sincerity.

“No need. I want to help and hopefully here, I can do some good.”

____________________________________

Lena and Kara stand near their chariot. They are dressed in full body black jumpsuits, with a weird cape hanging from their backs. 

“How is this a costume?” Lena leans over, asking the girl beside her.

“I have no idea,” she answers with a confused expression.

Their whole team walks behind them. Snapper, Miss Grant, J’onn, and Lena’s stylist Jess. They look clad in similar colored outfits. Their clothing resembles the colors of fire, each matching in their own special way. Bright oranges and yellows mixed together. 

“Are you two ready?” J’onn asks.

“Ready as we’ll ever be!” Kara says with a bright smile, looking over to the black haired girl beside her. Kara hears her mumble the word "dork" underneath her breath, but chooses to ignore it. 

“Now get on the chariot. I will light your suits,” J’onn says. 

“Light our suits!?” Lena exclaims, head snapping up at the idea. 

“Don’t worry, it’s not real fire,” the man explains. 

“Like hell it isn’t,” Lena says exaspertally. 

J'onn basically herds Kara and Lena into their chariot. Being from District 12, they are the last chariot of them all. Behind them, they feel J’onn touch their backs with a torch. 

“It’s all just an illusion that J’onn and I created with the suits. It makes it look like you’re on fire, while really, you aren’t feeling a thing,” Jess explains from behind them. 

Kara looks to her left, letting out of shocked squeal as she sees Lena’s entire back engulfed in flames. As their chariot starts to move, they hear J’onn shout from behind them, “Make sure you hold hands!”

Kara holds out her hand for Lena to take. The girl looks at it with hesitance. 

“Come on. We’ll get through this, together,” Kara encourages. 

And with that, Lena grabs her hand just as their chariot makes it out into the crowds. Once their chariot moves about 20 yards farther forward, the crowd goes up in shouts and applause. 

All around them, they hear shouts of, “District 12!” or “Lena!” or even “Kara!”

Kara starts to raise their hands up.

“What are you doing?!” Lena asks, shocked. 

“They’ll love it,” Kara says with a bright smile.

As Lena nods and they both hold up their hands together, the crowd booms even louder. Roses are thrown in their direction and shouts of love are common. 

Once their chariot comes to a stop behind the 11 other chariots, Kara is pulled out of her stupor. She hears someone speaking.

“Welcome! Welcome tributes! We commend your courage and your sacrifice!” exclaims President Lockwood. 

The crowd still cheers loudly, Kara thinking she might go deaf. Her head becomes a little foggy, the sound making her feel off balance. She feels Lena squeeze her hand beside her, making her look at the girl. She smiles, feeling anchored back to reality, just like at the Reaping. 

“This year is a monumental occasion. The First Quarter Quell! Us here at the Capitol wish you luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!” the man continues, words echoing throughout the Capitol's main walk way. 

After the President’s short speech, their chariot is pulled into the Tribute Center. The place they will be staying for the next few days, before they are set to meet their fate. 

Kara and Lena are still holding hands as they get down from their chariot, filled with anxious excitement and dying nerves. From behind them, they hear someone start clapping.

“That was perfect ladies!” J’onn compliments. 

“The crowds went wild! I was surprised I could hear their cheers over their loud clothing and horrible fashions choices, but you encouraged them,” Miss Grant comments with an excited smile. 

As looks from other tributes are thrown their way with contempt, Snapper steps towards them from behind Miss Grant. 

“Time to show you two your rooms.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I PROMISE there is major interaction in the next few chapters. Also, thank you so much for all the comments. Love to hear what you guys are thinking! Hope you're having a great day, even though I'm posting this at like 10:30 at night


	7. Their First Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently watching Monsters vs. Aliens. That movie is amazing. 
> 
> Welp, hope you enjoy readin!

The group from District 12 exits the elevator and steps into the large penthouse. Miss Grant starts to explain.

“Being the last district of the 12, you two get the penthouse! If you thought the train was luxurious, you have another thing coming,” she says with enthusiasm. 

Kara and Lena stare around in awe. The place is huge with intricate paintings gracing the walls and lavish furnishings. Kara can fit at least 20 of her home in the penthouse. 

“Let me show you two to your rooms so that you can freshen up for dinner. Obviously, you both need it,” Miss Grant says with a disdainful look as she guides them down a corridor. They were still in their Tribute Parade costumes and Kara was glad that she could get out of it. 

“Here you are Kiera,” Miss Grant says, stopping at a door on the side of the corridor. 

Stepping into her room, Kara quickly closes the door and searches for a change of clothes. Back home, she shared a wardrobe with Alex so she was shocked to see a giant walk-in closet with countless outfits for her to pick from.

She choses a light blue blouse that was obviously expensive, being made out of silk and some comfortable pants. Once Kara gets into the bathroom, she encounters a large shower. Compared to the wooden tub she has used the majority of her life to clean herself, this is a nice change of pace. 

Undressing and stepping into the shower, Kara was confused to see a panel with numerous settings. There were symbols of objects that she had never even seen before. Clicking button after button on the panel, she seemed to get to the basic setting, starting the shower. 

The water eases the tingling of her skin that was still a little numb from when she was pricked and plucked before the parade. She feels stripped somehow, like a skinned animal ready to be bought and sold. 

After 10 minutes of continuous scrubbing to get the makeup off her face and the nervous sweat that she accumulated during the parade, she steps out of the shower. She’s hit with a wave of air, drying her entire body. After brushing out her now dry hair and putting it into a quick ponytail, she puts on the outfit she picked out from earlier. 

Walking out of her room, Kara goes in the direction of where she thought she saw the dining room. When she enters, she sees Lena, Snapper, and Miss Grant already eating. 

“Nice of you to join us, ponytail,” Snapper gruffs, taking a bite out of a chicken leg, albeit violently. 

“Sorry, the buttons in the shower were kinda confusing,” Kara answers sheepishly, pulling out her chair. 

“I can second that,” Lena says, looking up towards Kara who then sits down. 

Kara smiles at her thankfully. 

After that, the table delves into polite conversation. Kara and Lena devour the lamb stew, getting seconds and then thirds. Being in the games was a horrible thing to happen to anyone, but at least the food was great. 

“So, training starts tomorrow,” Snapper begins. “You will be training with the 22 other tributes. When you get in there, numerous stations are set up. There are the stations that are for more brute force such as sword handling, knife throwing, and the bow-and-arrow station. You will not learn how to perfect these skills in just three small days, so I suggest you stay away from them,” Snapper explains. 

“I bet Lena could perfect any skill in three days, knowing her,” Kara comments, popping a piece of fruit into her mouth. 

A light blush appears on Lena’s cheeks as she ducks her head, now staring intently at her plate. 

Snapper rolls his eyes, continuing to speak. 

“Then there are the stations that the majority overlook such as the knot tying station, plant identification station, and basic needs stations such as how to start a fire. Now something important we should address before tomorrow is do you know who the careers are?” he questions. 

As Kara and Lena both shake their heads no, Snapper explains. 

“They’re the tributes from the richest districts. Usually one through four. They train in a special academy until 18. After that, they volunteer themselves to make sure they are in the games. It’s their pride and joy to fight for their districts. It’s basically their dream growing up.”

Lena scoffs beside Kara, stabbing her fork into a piece of lamb. 

“In training over the next few days, they will be the ones showing off their skills. They will try to intimidate you by showing their brute strength, their knife throwing skills, spear throwing skills, you name it. I don’t want you to pay attention to them. What skills do you two sport?” Snapper asks, eying them. “You were pretty good with that knife on the train,” Snapper says, pointing his cutlery at Kara.

Kara can barely hear him over his loud chewing, talking with food still in his mouth. 

It intrigues Kara how Snapper doesn’t seem drunk. From what she’s noticed, most of the time he fills his drinks with at least some alcohol, but tonight he has denied it from each server. 

“Kara is really good with a bow-and-arrow. I heard she always has something to sell back home in the Hob, no matter if it’s rabbits or squirrels, she never comes home empty handed,” Lena praises. 

Kara can too play at that game. 

“Lena is really smart. She can trick other tributes and she is extremely artistic. I’ve watched her paint the cakes in her family’s bakery before. She can use her skills to camouflage herself,” Kara retorts. 

Lena pauses her eating, a quizzical look taking over her features.

“When did you see me paint the cakes in the bakery?” Lena asks, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. 

Kara blushes, realizing how creepy her statement sounded. She ducks her head and fidgets with her glasses. A nervous habit of hers. 

“Umm, just in passing. Whether I was walking by or…” Kara drifts off. 

Snapper steps in, cutting her off. Kara lets out an inward sigh of relief. 

“Well, I don’t want either of you showing off any of your skills. Especially you Kara. If you are as good as Lena says you are, the careers would know your greatest advantage. So stay away from the shooting range. I want both of you to go to other stations such as the plant station or the knot tying station. People usually pass them up, but they can be extremely useful.”

Kara and Lena nod their heads, taking in the information Snapper has presented them with. 

As they finish their dinners and then desert, Lena stands up. 

“Well, today was a long day. We probably should get some shut eye for tomorrow. Kara, want to walk with me back to our rooms?” she suggests. 

“Sure,” the blonde says with a bright smile. Kara would never miss an opportunity to spend time with Lena. The girl gets up from her seat, wiping off her mouth with her napkin and placing it on the table. 

They walk down the corridor in silence. It isn't awkward or uncomfortable. Kara doesn’t feel the need to fill it. 

As Lena walks right past her room, Kara stops. 

“Lena, you kinda overshot your room there,” she says with a chuckle. 

“I know. I want to show you something,” Lena says offering out her hand for Kara to take. 

Kara takes it hesitantly and lets Lena pull her down to the end of the hall. There seems to be a ladder attached to the wall. 

“I was exploring before dinner and found this. It seems to lead up to the roof,” Lena says as she starts to climb. 

“Are you sure we’re allowed to go up there?” Kara shouts upwards. 

When she gets no answer, Kara follows. As she plants her feet on the roof, she’s hit with a cool evening breeze. It makes her take a sharp inhale. She sees Lena step too close for comfort towards the edge of the roof. 

“Lena what are you doing?” Kara asks, wary of what the answer will be. 

“Don’t worry. There’s a forcefield set up around the roof. Even if I tried to jump, I would just bounce right back,” Lena says shrugging her shoulders. “The science is actually pretty interesting.”

Kara walks towards Lena and stops next to her, looking out over the wondrous Capitol. 

“It’s beautiful. If only it wasn’t filled with such god awful people,” Kara says. 

“Yeah,” Lena agrees as she sinks down into a criss cross position. Kara mimics her movements, sitting down with a thump. 

After minutes of silence, Kara looks over, seeing the pondering look on the girl’s face. 

“Whatcha thinking about?” she asks. 

Lena doesn’t answer for a few moments, seeming like she is wondering if she should tell the truth. Eventually she turns her head to the side, deciding. 

“I was thinking about how you said you watched me decorate the cakes in my family’s bakery,” Lena answers honestly. 

Kara’s eyes go wide at the blatant honesty, instantly ducking her head as a blush creeps up her neck to the tips of her ears. 

“I’m, uh, um, I’m sorry about that. That sounded so creepy when I said it out loud. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable. It’s just that-” Kara rambles until Lena cuts her off. 

“Kara. It’s okay. It’s more than okay actually. No one has ever really paid attention to me before, let alone my art,” Lena admits. “It’s nice,” she says with a small smile. 

Kara stares at the girl, eventually looking away, struggling to hold her gaze. 

They sit in silence for what feels like forever, even though it had probably only been three minutes. Kara wishes she could stay in this peaceful bliss for the rest of time. That she could learn more about Lena. What’s her favorite color or her favorite subject in school? Kara wishes she could lay outside underneath the stars with her and point out constellations her father taught her as a kid. She wishes she could spend lazy days in the woods with Lena, watching the sun glint off her pale white skin and maybe, just maybe, getting to kiss the beautiful lips that center her even more beautiful eyes. But Kara knows that tomorrow will come and so will, in the end, the games.

Kara turns away from the city, looking at the girl beside her. She tries to memorize her features. The cut of her jaw, the freckle on the left side of her neck, the slight scar just above her eyebrow. A thought comes to mind as she takes in everything that is the girl beside her. 

“Promise me something?” Kara asks, breaking the silence.

Lena tilts her head to the side, encouraging the blonde to continue.

“We stick together in the games. No matter what. Right when the clock strikes down, you come and find me. We run off and hide. I’ll make a bow and I can hunt while you gather. I know how to find water, set traps, and make a fire. We’ll survive, together,” Kara explains. “If it comes down to just us two, we’ll figure it out, but from the beginning, you and me stick together. Can you promise me that?” Kara asks with pleading eyes. She knows she shouldn’t be asking Lena this. In the end, only one of them can survive and sticking together will only make it harder, but for some reason Kara doesn’t care. 

To Kara’s disbelief, Lena seems to answer without a second thought. 

“I promise,” Lena responds. 

Kara gives her a blinding smile, one that takes up her entire face. Lena turns back to the city, a slight breeze blowing at her hair. Again, they sit in silence, neither knowing what to say.

Eventually, they stand up and head to their rooms. As they reach Kara’s door, neither know what to do. Kara nor Lena want the night to end, but they know they need sleep for tomorrow. 

So Lena decides to answer for them both. “Goodnight Kara,” she whispers. 

“Goodnight Lena,” Kara responds with a sleepy smile. 

And with that, Lena turns around and walks down the corridor towards her room. Her silhouette fades in the light as she walks farther away and all Kara can do is stare, until she disappears behind her door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You see! I keep my promises! Most of the time. I hope you liked their interactions in this chapter, and just know that there are A LOT more to come! 
> 
> How do you like the dynamic they have goin so far?


	8. First Day of Training

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter so far! Hope ya like it!

“In two weeks, 23 of you will be dead. One of you will be alive. Who that person is majorly depends on how well you pay attention over the next four days of training. Particularly, what I’m about to tell you,” one of the trainors explains. 

She stands in the middle, tributes surrounding her in a makeshift circle. For some reason, Kara doesn’t think that the trainor is from the Capitol. She doesn’t dress the part, but she sure as hell talks like it. There’s a sense of superiority, arrogance that the voice of someone from the Capitol possesses. 

Kara and Lena stand side by side, sticking together just as they promised each other.

As the lady continues to speak, Kara grasps Lena’s hand in hers. When Lena looks over, Kara gives the hand a quick squeeze and looks over at Lena with a small reassuring smile. 

“The number one rule here is no fighting with the other tributes. You will have much time for that in the arena. Now, my advice to you is do not pass up the survival stations and instructions. Most of you here will die of natural causes,” the woman explains. 

The trainor then goes on to list what most of the tributes will die of, mostly infection and depletion of nutrients. 

Kara looks around at the other tributes. She can easily separate the Careers from the rest of the pack. The Careers look buff, better fed than the others. They stand with their arms crossed over their chests, looking dominant. 

One of the girls from District 2 has blonde hair that’s on the border of white. The girl is around Kara’s height and slightly more muscular. Kara thinks she heard someone call her Leslie. The girl stands more towards the front of the Careers, a few feet ahead. Kara assumes she is their leader, the head career you would say. 

Next to her is a taller girl from District 1. She’s blonde and skinny, but still looks better fed than most. Leslie called her by the name of Gayle when they first walked in. 

The other two are a mystery to her. One is a medium height brunette from District 2 whose name Kara thinks starts with an S and the other is a beautiful ravenette from District 1 named “Irra?”, “Imra?” maybe. 

Kara catches the tail end of the trainor’s speech as she continues to look around at the other tributes. 

“...exposure can kill as easily as a knife.”

The tributes start to disperse after that, most going to fighting stations. Kara and Lena do as they’re told, starting off at the knot tying station. Growing up in the woods, Kara already knew multiple different ways to tie a knot, mainly learning from Alex. 

“Welcome ladies. At this station, a different knot will appear on the screen in front of you, take you through how to tie that knot and then eventually, you’ll move on to the next,” the male trainer explains.

“Sounds easy enough,” Lena reasons.

Kara finishes the first knot quite quickly, holding the rope in front of her to examine it. As she looks over her work, her eyes flicker to Lena at her side. 

Lena struggles, her hands working stiffly. She tries to loop the rope around the main base, but it just falls apart in the end. Kara can tell she is getting frustrated, so she decides to help her out. 

“Here, let me help you with that,” Kara says as her hands gracefully smooth over Lena’s.

Kara can see the blush creep up Lena’s neck due to the contact. 

“You see, you have to, uh, you have to tie this loop around first before you try and complete the knot. Unless you secure it properly, the whole thing will just fall apart,” Kara explains, stammering as her hands guide Lena’s. 

Once the knot is looped around properly, Kara pulls her hands away. 

“Now pull,” she says with a bright smile on her face, obviously fascinated by such a small action.

Lena complies, pulling both ends of the rope, creating a perfectly balanced knot. She looks up smiling, happy that instead of falling apart, the knot held tight.

Next, they move on to the plant identification station. This is where Kara really shines. The trainor was impressed by Kara's sheer speed and joy when she identified a plant correctly. 

“How are you so good at this? I mean, I know you hunt in the woods, but where could you possibly learn what pickerelweed is? It’s not like they teach it in class at school,” Lena leans over and asks curiously. 

“Well, my real father was an avid hunter. He was the one who taught me to hunt in the first place. When I was born, he created this giant book of different types of plants and information about the wildlife so that he could teach it all to me one day. When my parents died, it was one of the only things that helped me cope. Every night, I fell asleep in bed going through the pages of the book. It always made me smile when he left little notes on the corners of the pages, trying to see if I would find them,” Kara explains, eyes bright as she reminisces. “Not only was there information on different kinds of wildlife, but there also was images that he drew of the plants, the fruits, the animals. During my early teenage years, I fell asleep looking at all his drawings. Sometimes I still do. Eventually, I had memorized the majority of the book without even realizing it. Not only did it help me cope, but now I know almost everything about the forest. Now I don’t have to worry about accidentally eating plants that are poisonous. Ugh!” Kara exclaims, with a disgusted face. “That sounds like the worst death! Imagine on your grave stone, ‘Death by berries,” Kara giggles. 

Lena laughs at Kara’s antics. Somehow Kara could take a sad and deep conversation and turn it around with a joke. Eventually, Lena sees past the coverup and speaks. 

“I’m sorry about your parents.”

“Oh it’s alright. Soon after they died, I was taken in by the Danvers and they gave me a good home. I couldn’t imagine a world without Alex as my sister. At the end of the day, it all worked out,” she says with a sad smile.

Before Lena can comment, there is an exclamation behind them.

“Where’s my knife?!” the District 2 tribute, Lesie yells.

“I didn’t take your knife,” a small District 6 girls defends.

“You took my knife!” Leslie exclaims starting to walk towards the girl. 

Trainors then intervene, pulling Leslie back. Kara sees a glint of light coming from the ceiling. When she looks up, she sees a girl, twiddling with a knife. She seems to have suspended herself in the straps. 

The girl is so small, so innocent. Her light brown hair hangs past her face as her dark brown eyes watch the scene she has caused below. A smile takes over the girl’s face, finding the situation funny.

“Who’s that?” Kara asks Lena, pointing up at the ceiling. 

“District 11 girl. Her name’s Nia. She looks like no threat being kinda small and all, but she is a quick climber,” Lena explains. 

“She looks nice,” Kara says.

“I haven’t really spoken to her,” Lens pauses. “It’s sad. She’s only twelve. It’s always sad when a twelve year old gets picked,” Lena says, downcast look. 

“Yeah,” is all Kara can muster. 

After a few more hours of moving from station to station, mainly survival skills, Kara and Lena are back in the penthouse. Once cleaned up, they walk to dinner together. 

They sit down at the table, Kara starting to pile up food on her plate. She practically shoves a biscuit into her mouth, then piling on some mash potatoes and ham. Lena leans over and places a few asparagus on the side of her plate. 

Kara’s face scrunches up in disgust, picking the vegetable off her plate with two fingers as if it’s a toxic substance.

“No,” she says, placing the food back onto Lena’s dish.

“Kara, vegetables are good for you. They’re nutritious,” Lena reasons, trying to again place the food on the blonde’s plate. 

“Lena stooooop,” Kara draws out.

“Let’s make a deal. You eat at least three asparagus and then you get extra desert.”

Kara pauses, tilting her head in to the side in contemplation as she munches on another biscuit.

“Deal!” she exclaims, mouth full of buttered carbs. 

Miss Grant and Snapper walk up to the table after a few minutes, pulling out their chairs to sit down. Snapper seems to get right to business, folding his hands in front of him on the table.

“How was training today?” he asks. 

“It was good. We went to the majority of the survival skills stations, making sure not to go near the others. Kara showed me how to tie some knots and that’s basically it,” Lena answers, taking a bite out of an asparagus, obviously drawing out the action to prove to Kara that it isn’t that bad. 

“Did the Careers start any trouble?” Snapper asks, placing some green beans on his plate. 

“Yeah. The blonde from District 2, Leslie, went off on a girl from District 6. She thought the girl took her knife. Turns out the tribute from District 11 did, but was just hiding up in the straps in the ceiling. I found it kinda amusing,” Kara says with a chuckle. 

“Just make sure you stay out of their way. You don’t want to draw attention to yourselves. Especially from the Careers. Leave that till the ratings and the interviews,” Snapper warns. 

“Okie Dokie,” Kara answers with a cheeky smile, which causes Snapper to roll his eyes. 

Once finished with dinner, Kara and Lena head back up to the roof from the other night. It’s not as cold, but the city seems to be more chaotic. 

Kara sits in the same position as the night before, legs crossed as she rests her elbows on her knees. Lena does the same on her left. 

Staring out at the city, Kara has a thought. 

“What’s your dream?” she asks, turning her head towards the ravenette. 

Lena looks at the blonde quizzically, a little startled by the question. 

“What do you mean, ‘what’s my dream?’” 

“You know what I mean. If you weren’t here, where would you dream to be? When you fall asleep at night, what is your perfect dream for your life?” the blonde explains, moving her hands around, trying to express the idea. 

Lena ponders the question for a few seconds, her face turning back towards the city in contemplation. 

“I’m not sure really. I was never really one of those girls who had a whole plan for their future. There were some things I thought about, images I formed in my head,” Lena speaks wistfully. “I mean, I guess one day I dreamed of living in a house in the meadow at the outskirts of District 12. It was made out of brick, with a light green door. The house would overlook the valley where there is a nice spot to watch a beautiful sunset. I imagined two well fed kids running around, playing hide and go seek in the long grass. After a long day, I would open the front door and lean on the door frame, looking out at what I had and what I had built. Then someone who loved me unconditionally would come up from behind and wrap their arms around me. I would truly be home. Truly be safe,” Lena finishes, now looking at Kara with the softest look in her eye. 

After staring at each other for a few seconds, Kara finally breaks the silence. 

“That’s beautiful,” she whispers. 

“Sadly, it will never come true,” Lena says with a grim look. She then turns her attention back to the city.

They sit in silence for a few minutes before Lena speaks up.

“You know I was adopted too?”

Kara is surprised by Lena’s statement. Lena has never been much of an outgoing person. She kept her head down in school, going from class to class without a word. Very reserved, never seeming to talk to people or tell people much, other than her friend Sam. She’s surprised that Lena is sharing this personal information with her. 

“Really? No, I didn’t,” Kara answers, seeming to lean forward with intrigue. 

And with that, Lena jumps into her story. “Well, I never knew who my real father was so my mom was on her own. She struggled to make money and take care of a child at the same time, so we barely got by. Then when I was four, she came down with the flu. She was already starving and her body couldn’t fight it off. After she died, I expected to be put into the orphanage, but my dad, Mr. Luthor, showed up one day and took me back to the Luthor house. I never really knew why. Lillian was furious, but Lex accepted me quickly. He loved having a younger sibling,” Lena says, looking out over the city. 

“I’m glad you had Lex,” Kara says, not knowing how else to respond. 

“Me too,” she chokes out, her voice taught from emotion. Kara can see that she’s trying to hold back tears. 

“Hey, come here,” Kara says as she scoots closer, wrapping her arms around Lena. The girl is stiff at first, eventually melting into Kara’s embrace. She doesn’t hear Lena cry, but she can feel the silent tears start to soak her shirt. 

Kara whispers small reassurances, trying to sooth and calm her down. At some point, Kara starts to hum a lullaby she learned from her adoptive mother Eliza. The same lullaby that Eliza sang to calm her down from the constant night terrors that plagued her sleep after her parents died. 

After going through the song twice, Lena’s breathing starts to even out.

“Thank you,” Lena whispers into Kara’s shoulder. 

“You don’t have to thank me,” is all Kara says as she kisses the top of Lena’s head. 

Lena freezes at first, but eventually softens, pulling Kara tighter. 

They stay wrapped in each other’s arms for an undetermined amount of time. As the temperature begins to drop, they both agree they should go inside and get some sleep. 

When they reach Kara’s door, Lena seems to linger for a few moments. Then she makes up her mind.

“Goodnight Kara,” she says with a smile.

“Goodnight Lena.”

Kara expects Lena to turn around and head to her room like the night before. Instead she waits a moment, and then presses a quick peck to Kara’s cheek. After that, she turns around and walks down the corridor towards her room. 

Minutes later, Kara still stands in her doorway, holding her hand to the cheek that Lena kissed, looking down the hall where the girl disappeared as a smile graces her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you’re liking the story so far. Kara and Lena are slowly starting to learn more about each other.
> 
> Btw, I’m watching Lilo and Stitch right now. “Hawaiian roller coaster ride” is the greatest song created by the human race and that’s a fact.
> 
> Hope you’re having a good day!


	9. Evaluations

The second day of training goes by fast. Kara and Lena spend time at the fire making station and spend some time building traps. Kara was surprised to see Lena creating a few intricate traps quite skillfully. 

“How do you know how to do that even though you don’t hunt?” Kara asks, hands moving gracefully to tie a piece of vine around a stick. 

“Just because I don’t hunt doesn’t mean I’m not good at mechanics. Mechanical engineering was my favorite class at school. I can construct all the way from some of these traps to a working filter. My room back home was always littered with different parts and bolts. Pissed the hell out of my mom, but that just made it even more worth it,” Lena answers with a proud smile. 

“Wow, that’s…” Kara struggles to think of a word as she caught dumbstruck, “...impressive.”

Lena blushes and ducks her head as a small smile spreads across her lips. 

“Thank you.”

Once they are released from training, they head upstairs. After getting cleaned up and changed, they find themselves sitting down at the dinner table with Miss Grant and Snapper yet again. Over the past few days, the meals have only ever gotten better. Every day, Kara seems to be able to consume more as her body adjusts to the rich food. 

She feels heavier, probably gaining at least 10 pounds since getting on the train towards the Capitol. 

“Slow down Kara. You are a lady, not a pig,” Miss Grant comments as Kara destroys the bowl of mango. 

Kara self consciously puts one piece of fruit in her mouth instead of two. 

Snapper decides to fill the silence. “Tomorrow is an important day. Instead of training, you will be called in order of district to come and present your skills to the Gamemaker and his colleagues. These people will then rate your skills from 1-12. One being extremely bad and twelve being incredibly amazing. No one has ever gotten a twelve in the history of the games. The higher rating you get, the more sponsors will be interested in you,” Snapper explains. “The more sponsors interested in you, the higher chance you have of surviving. Kara, make sure you show your bow-and-arrow skills. This is your time to shine. Lena, go to the camouflage station. Show them how you can blend into your surroundings. Catch their attention. Make sure they remember you. You are trying to impress them ladies, do not let me down.”

“We would never dare, Snapper,” Kara says with a chuckle, spiking another piece of mango onto her fork. 

____________________________________

The next day comes too quick. Kara and Lena spent another night on the roof, but this time they didn’t say anything. Just sat in comfortable silence as their shoulders grazed. 

Now they sit in a room in the Tribute Center, waiting for their name and district to be called. They sit alone as the rest of the tributes have already been evaluated. 

The room is pristine, but bland. The walls are pale grey, made out of solid concrete. They sit side by side, their thighs touching. Kara fidgets with her hands until she feels Lena’s hand atop hers. 

“It’s going to be okay. You’ll do great, I know it,” Lena reassures her as she laces their fingers together. Kara lifts her head to look at the girl. 

“You will too. I have no doubt in my mind,” Kara responds with a shy smile, eyes filled with adoration. 

They sit next to each, hand in hand, until Kara’s name is called.

“Kara Danvers,” a woman says in a monotone voice over the sound system. 

Kara gives Lena’s hand a quick pat before she gets up and walks through the sliding door. She enters the training center. It looks empty compared to the last few days when there were other tributes filing it up. 

Many objects seem to be out of place. On a table near the far right corner, there seems to be a styrofoam body with a knife in its chest. The heads of multiple dummies in the sword section are cut off. 

Up in the observing center, high in the wall, sits a mix of roughly 20 men and women. Kara walks forward and announces, “Kara Danvers. District 12.” 

Kara notices that she only has half their attention. They seem to be tired and bored from the other 22 tributes. 

She glances around, instantly spying the glint of a silver bow. Kara remembers what Snapper told her, going over to the row of weapons. 

As she grabs a bow, she notices the string is a little tighter than her bow back home. Kara knows that she will have to get used to it. She lines up in her stance to shoot at the outlined body on the board. 

She pulls the string back, exhaling a small breath, before letting her arrow fly. It misses the outlined body by just a few inches and the people observing seem to let out a chuckle. They quickly lose interest, moving their attention towards the feast behind them. 

Kara then grabs another arrow and sets up again. This time, determined, she pulls back again, releasing the arrow, soaring through the air as it makes contact with the board, hitting the body right in the chest. The people watching don’t seem to notice. 

So Kara decides to shoot at different objects. First she shoots at the styrofoam body hanging from the ceiling. Her arrow spears the material right through the heart. The action doesn’t seem to catch the Gamemaker’s attention. Instead, him and his friends are boisterous, letting out exclamations at the pig that just rolled in for the feast. 

“Hey, who ordered this guy?!” the Gamemaker shouts playfully at the people around him. They all let out big laughs at his antics. 

At this point, Kara is pissed off. Her life is on the line and the rating of these people could save it. But they’re too enthralled by the roasted pig set in front of them than the tribute trying to prove her worth. As she looks over the scene in front of her, Snapper’s words run through her mind. 

‘Make sure they remember you.’

So Kara quickly takes an arrow from the rack, lines up, and fires it. It soars past the people and flies right through the apple in the roasted pig’s mouth, sticking into the wall. The room goes silent as they all look in Kara’s direction with alarm. 

The people stand with wide eyes, no words coming to mind. Eventually, Kara speaks. 

“Thank you for your time,” Kara spats out with a fake smile. She then puts the bow back on its rack and stalks off towards the elevator, aggressively pushing the button for the top floor of the Tribute Center.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof first day of school starts tomorrow. Not looking forward to it. I've gotten used to reading and writing fan fiction all day so this is gonna be tough. 
> 
> Hope you guys are staying safe and I hope you like the story so far!


	10. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting the chapter earlier tonight because I have to wake up early for piano tomorrow. We love waking up at 6:15 for band. Welp, I hope you enjoy reading!

Kara sits back against the headboard of her bed with her knees drawn close, crying. Why did she have to act like that? Now her chances are even lower of winning. The Gamemakers will probably give her a low score and make her life a living hell in the games. 

J’onn knocks on the door asking if she’s okay. All Kara does is tell him to go away. Then she hears Lena whisper outside the door. 

“Let me talk to her.” 

Her words are accompanied by three short knocks.

“Kara? Are you okay? Can I come in?” Lena asks. 

Kara considers for a few moments. If Lena were in her situation, Kara would like to console her. So she tries to steady her voice before she speaks. 

“Come in,” she says, quickly wiping away the tears running down her cheeks. 

The door creaks open and Lena peaks her head around. When Lena sees the state Kara is in, she walks over to the bed and wraps her in her arms. 

“Oh sweety, what’s wrong?” Lena asks, rocking Kara back and forth. Their legs tangle together, huddled together on Kara’s bed. 

“I ruined everything! Now I have no chance. They’re gonna give me a terrible score and now no, no one will want to sponsor ei-either of us,” Kara stammers, choking out a sob into’s Lena’s neck. 

“Hey, hey it’s okay. I bet you didn’t do that bad,” Lena encourages, stroking Kara’s back. 

“It’s, it’s not that I did ba-bad,” Kara mumbles. 

“Then why are you crying?” Lena asks soothingly. 

Kara ponders whether she should tell Lena. On the one hand, it’s against the rules, but on the other hand, she can’t possibly make anything worse at this point. 

“I, kinda, sorta shotanarrowatthem,” Kara whispers into Lena’s shoulder sheepishly.

“Say that a little louder please,” Lena asks due to Kara's mumbling.

“I, uh, shot an arrow at them.” 

When Lena doesn’t answer, Kara adjusts her head so she can look at her. 

“Well, I was not expecting that,” Lena says with a chuckle. “Why’d you shoot an arrow at them?”

Kara is shocked that Lena isn’t furious at her. She expected her to yell, scream even, but instead Lena gives her time to explain. 

“It’s just, they weren’t paying attention to me. No matter how well I did, all they did was make jokes with each other and eat their food. They didn’t even look at me. Once the pig rolled out, I saw the apple in its mouth and took the opportunity. Speared the apple right through its center. Then I thanked them for their time and walked out,” Kara explains, eyes going wide at a realization. “Were they okay for you? I didn’t make it worse for you, did I?” Kara asks frantically. 

“Oh no, the complete opposite actually. You scared the absolute shit out of them. They sat there and watched me the whole time with wrapped attention. I think they were worried that we would have the same fiery spirit,” Lena says with a laugh. 

Kara pulls Lena back into a bone-crushing hug. Her face rests in the crook of the smaller girl’s neck, Kara smelling all that is Lena. After a few moments of silence Kara muffles.

“I’m sorry.”

Lena pulls back, arms still around Kara, but far enough away so that they’re face to face. 

“There’s nothing to be sorry for. Now come on, let’s get up, you get changed and cleaned, and then we’ll go watch the presentation of our ratings together. Sound good?” Lena questions. 

Kara nods her head slowly, taking in Lena's directions. Lena rubs her thumb against Kara’s knee before getting up and leaving the room. Kara still feels the sensation against her knee as she steps into the shower and then eventually changes. She again brushes her hair, smoothing out the blonde locks. Then she walks out into the living room space and sits on the couch next to Lena. 

“What do you think the evaluators thought of you?” Kara questions curiously. “I should have asked earlier.”

“It went fine. I used the paints to camouflage my arm and blend it into a tree. They found that intriguing, letting out a few ‘ahs.’ It seemed like I had their attention, but maybe that was just because of what happened with you. I’m not that interesting anyway,” Lena says with a slight glint of sadness in her eyes as she looks down at her hands fidgeting in her lap. 

Kara puts her finger under Lena’s chin and forces her to look at upwards. 

“Lena, everything you do is amazing. I bet they thought so too,” Kara says. They stare at each other for a few lingering moments, until Kara jumps away when she hears a thump to her right.

Snapper looks at them seriously, lounging in the love-seat across from the two girls. 

“Did I break something up?” he asks. 

“N-no,” Kara stammers, now three feet away from Lena. 

The man stares her down, no emotion showing through his blank stare. For some reason, Kara feels that she is about to be screamed at. She starts to think of an argument in her head, an explanation. It wasn’t her fault. The Gamemakers just pissed her off. 

She waits for him to yell, until she’s surprised when she hears him speak. 

“It might pain me to say it, but you did good ponytail,” he says. 

Kara is shocked to say the least. “You’re not mad?”

“Mad? I’ve got to say that I was surprised when I heard that the personification of bubbliness shot an arrow at the Gamemaker, but I’m not mad. Probably gave them all a scare,” he says with a laugh. 

Kara is dumbfounded by the sound. Neither of them have heard Snapper laugh in the entire time they’ve known him, which yes isn’t long, but it is still shocking to say the least. 

“Yeah. One of them tripped backwards into the punch bowl,” Kara answers with a smile tugging at her lips. 

“That’s why that guy had to leave to change his shirt,” Lena whispers, realization dawning on her. 

From behind them, they hear Miss Grant walk in with J’onn and Jess. 

“I work so hard, so hard to get you children good press. Now all of that is going to be wasted because of what you’ve done!” Miss Grant shouts, striding into the living room. She’s cut off quickly by Snapper. 

“Settle down Cat. None of your ‘good press’ you so call it will be wasted. You should stop stressing. I don’t want to see that perfect blonde hair of yours whitening. Now go pour yourself a drink and relax. The ratings are about to be announced,” Snapper responds, reaching for his glass of some dark liquor that he set on the table earlier. 

“All they want is a good show Cat. I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” J’onn agrees with Snapper. 

With that, Miss Grant storms off toward the kitchen. Snapper throws a quick wink in Kara’s direction before downing his glass of scotch. 

____________________________________

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen,” the vibrant Maxwell Lord welcomes. “I hope this announcement bids you well. As you know, the tributes are rated on a scale of 1-12 after three days of careful observation. Now, I present to you the scores of each tribute. Starting off from District 1, Imra Ardeen, with a score of nine.”

As they move through the tributes, Kara realizes she was right about the girl from District Two. Her name did start with an S being named Siobhan and scoring a 10. 

Lena and Kara hold hands the entire time as they get through the Careers, each scoring either a nine or a ten. The other tributes all scored a pretty average number, usually around a six. The lowest so far was a two from a District Eight girl. 

Kara was surprised when Maxwell came to District 11. 

“From District 11, Nia Nal with a score of seven.”

For how young and small Nia is, Kara wonders what she did to impress the Gamemakers. It couldn’t have been anything with strength or sword skills, swords being too heavy for her to wield properly. Maybe she can throw knives, Kara wonders. 

After a pause, Maxwell continues. “From District 12, Lena Luthor with a score of eight.”

Kara can feel Lena let out a breath beside her. 

“Lena!” Kara exclaims as she envelopes her in a big bear hug.

Lena has a large smile on her face. 

“I told you they’d love you,” Kara whispers into her hair. 

“Good job kid,” Snapper compliments as he tips his glass towards her. 

Kara hears Maxwell continue to speak in the background. 

“And finally, our last tribute of the night. From District 12, Kara Danvers with a score of,” Maxwell pauses as he seems to hesitate, “..eleven.”

Kara whips her head from Lena’s neck to face the TV. He didn’t say eleven did he? 

Lena is the one tightly hugging Kara this time. “Congratulations!” Lena exclaims. 

Kara lets out a relieved chuckle. “I don’t understand. I thought they hated me,” Kara says into Lena’s shoulder. 

“No one could ever hate you, Kara,” Lena respondes, holding her in a tight embrace. 

As they hug, J’onn and the rest of the group stand up, raising their champagne glasses. 

“To our District 12 girls!” J’onn announces as they all clink their glasses together. 

Kara and Lena barely hear them, still wrapped up in each other’s arms as they listen to the other’s steady breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are too cute. Like, they're in love folks. They just don't know it. 
> 
> Next chapter is the interviews and it is a long ass chapter. I hope you are liking the slow build between the two characters and strap in, because we are goin for a wild ride with the rest. 
> 
> Stay safe!


	11. The Interviews

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The interviews
> 
> DUN DUN DUN
> 
> *Ominous music starts to play*

They sit at the dining room table eating breakfast. 

As Kara shoves nearly an entire waffle in her mouth, Snapper speaks up. 

“Today are the interviews ladies. Lena, you will start off with me to prep for the questions, while Kara you will go with Cat for etiquette. Then we will switch off. These interviews are key. They are the first glimpse the sponsors will get of your personalities. Answer a question poorly, and it could make or break you. Again, you want the audience to remember you,” Snapper informs. 

“Got it. Sounds easy enough,” Kara says with fake confidence and a smile. 

Kara finishes her breakfast quickly, shoveling down food much to Miss Grant’s distaste, and makes her way to her room to get prepped for etiquette. 

Miss Grant and Kara start off practicing walking in heels, something Kara has never done before. It seemed easy enough until she had to actually start walking.

Kara was used to either wearing flats or hunting boots, so heels were extremely new. After an hour of tripping and falling, she eventually got the hang of it. Next, they moved onto sitting. 

Who knew there was a right way to sit properly?

“Cross your legs to the side like this,” Miss Grant instructs as she demonstrates. 

Kara has never been very lady-like, not seeing the need for it in District 12. She did have good table manners though, Eliza teaching Alex and her when they were younger. 

For the next two hours, Miss Grant teaches Kara the soft wave, goes through different facial expressions for specific situations, and then finally practices greetings. 

By the end, Kara is annoyed and exhausted from fake laughing. As she walks out of the room, she passes Lena giving her a small smile. 

“Good luck with that,” Kara says with an exasperated expression.

A worried look takes over Lena’s face before she enters the room Kara just left. Kara makes her way to the living room where Snapper will prep her on interview questions. 

As she sits down, Snapper gets right to business.

“In these interviews you have to work a certain angle. Some people go cocky, others sexy, but you seem to already have a pretty cheery demeanor. So, I want you to be interactive with the questions and bubbly. Always have a smile on your face,” Snapper instructs. 

“Got it,” Kara answers with a determined nod of her head. 

“First question. What do you like to do in your freetime?”

Kara thinks this over. She can’t say hunt in the woods on national television because that is against the law. So instead she decides to tell half the truth. 

“Well, I really love spending time with my adoptive sister Alex. Even though she constantly makes fun of me and steals my food, that yes, I called dibs on, she’s still my favorite person in the world. We spend almost all our time together. My hope is that I can fight hard enough to make it back home to her,” Kara answers. 

Snapper looks impressed, eventually schooling his features. “That will work I guess,” he deadpans. 

For the next hour they go through question after question, Snapper commenting on how she answers and giving her basic advice. 

Sooner rather than later, Snapper and her had finished prep. She got up from the couch, making her way to her room. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the floor to ceiling mirror, wearing the dress J’onn had designed for her interview. 

“Do you like it?” he asks.

Kara looks at her reflection. The dress is modest, reaching down just past her knees. It has a black base and a flame design wrapping around her torso. When she rotates, it gives off the illusion that she’s on fire. 

Before putting the dress on, Kara was prepped with hair and makeup. J’onn told his fellow stylists to keep Kara’s face more natural, making sure not to put too much makeup on. She had lightly applied blush, some dark eyeshadow to make her eyes pop, slight mascara, and finally some lightly applied lip gloss. Her hair flows down just past her shoulders in natural curls. They already ditched Kara’s glasses, having to do it anyway for the games. Instead, they put long lasting contacts in, designed by the Capitol so that she can see. 

“It’s beautiful,” Kara says wistfully, rubbing the fabric between her fingers. 

“Well, good. Lena is wearing something similar, but in suit form. You two will be matching.”

“I can’t wait to see!” Kara exclaims as her excitement bubbles over and she runs at J’onn, giving him a hug. 

“Now, we have to go downstairs to backstage. Down there we will meet up with Snapper, Miss Grant, Lena, and Jess. Because you and Lena are the last district, you will be the last tributes interviewed. Shall we go?” J’onn asks as he holds out his arm for Kara to take. 

They walk downstairs, passing other tributes with their stylists. Once they get backstage, Kara looks around for Lena. She spots the shiny black hair almost instantly, quickly walking over towards the group. 

“Lena!” Kara calls out. 

When Lena turns around, Kara is awestruck. Lena is wearing a three-piece white suit that has orange, red, and yellow flames decorating the torso, legs, and arms. They wrap around her body intricately, shaping every curve. 

Kara’s jaw is dropped, eyes wide as she actively stares at the girl. Her high ponytail reveals her porcelain skin neck, sharp jawline that could kill a man. Her lips are a bold red, accenting the colors of the suit. Kara hopes the blush isn’t evident on her cheeks with the makeup already coating her face. She’s eventually pulled out of her daze when Lena clears her throat. 

“Uh, um, so-sorry. It’s just, you uh, you look amazing,” Kara says, her voice barely above a whisper as she continues to stare at Lena. 

“You do as well,” Lena responds with a bright smile. Kara noticeably gulps, blush creeping up her neck. 

“Okay ladies. You have to get in line,” J’onn informs. Kara completely forgot he was there until she felt him touch her shoulder. “The first interview is about to start. Remember what Cat and Snapper talked with you about and make sure the audience remembers you,” J’onn repeats Snapper’s words from earlier. 

As the interviews start, Kara can tell what Snapper was talking about when it came to playing an angle. The girl from District 1, Gayle, was definitely going for sexy. She wore a low cut v-line dress that was a little too short for comfort.

After Gayle came Leslie from District Two. She was obviously playing the cocky angle. Every answer was said with a cheer at the end or a dismissive wave of the hand when the other tributes were mentioned. 

They went through tribute after tribute, interview after interview. Only a few grasped Kara’s attention. 

A girl from District 5 caught Kara’s eye. She was small, but haughty when it came to intelligence. She was brilliant and swift. Kara doesn’t catch her real name, but she was wearing a unique bright blue dress, warranting Maxwell to nickname her “Indigo.” Kara feels that she will have to look out for her, even if others don’t see her as much of a threat. 

The only interview Kara really listens to is Nia Nal’s from District 11. The girl had piqued Kara’s interest, being confident internally but outwardly shy. She wears a girly dress, quite poofey near the bottom. With one glance at her, you instantly feel a wave of sympathy over-take you for the girl. 

When Maxwell asks her how she scored that seven she said, “Well I can’t go into too many details, but all I can say is that they can’t kill me if they can’t catch me,” the girl whispers in a shy voice. 

That answer got a heap of applause from the crowd. 

After the young girl comes a broad woman. She was very loud and enthusiastic, but Kara could tell that deep down, she hated the games. Kara knows the woman will get many sponsors based off of strength alone.

Kara’s nerves begin to build up more and more as they get closer to her interview. Her hands visibly shake at her sides as Maxwell begins to wrap up his questioning. She begins to relax as she feels Lena’s presence behind her. 

“It’s going to be okay. You’re going to do great,” Lena whispers into Kara’s ear. It takes all her strength not to shiver. 

Lena takes Kara’s hand from behind, interlacing their fingers. She rubs circles into the back of it, calming the blonde’s nerves. 

“Ladies and gentleman, Yvette!” Maxwell sends off. 

All too soon, Kara hears Maxwell speak. “Next up is our lovely Kara Danvers!” 

Lena squeezes Kara’s hand one last time, before letting go. Kara takes a deep breath, starting to walk forward with a bright smile on her face. 

In front of the raised stage are thousands of Capitol citizens, all wearing bright colored outfits with matching aesthetics. Their faces are excited, like their ready to fixate on any new information thrown their way. 

Maxwell guides Kara to her chair in front of the audience. 

“Hello Kara, it’s nice to see you up close and in the flesh, instead of far away on screens like at the Tribute Parade. That was quite the entrance you made the other day,” Maxwell praises. 

“Oh yes. Lena and I were just trying not to burn to death,” Kara says with a bright smile and a chuckle, her eyes squinting with the action. 

“Yes, that would not have been ideal. It seems as if you were wearing a cape of flames. You looked like your own superhero! Didn’t she look like a superhero folks?” Max asks, looking towards the crowd.

They cheer, some shouting “yes” or “definitely.”

“Being a superhero, what should we call you? What do you think we should call her?” Maxwell asks the crowd again. 

As Kara chuckles, amused by the crowd, she hears shouts of “Fire Queen” and “Miss Fantastic.”

“Did I hear someone say Supergirl? Supergirl! I love that! Don’t you guys love that?” Maxwell says, trying to rile up the audience. 

Once their cheers subside, Maxwell asks, “Now the flames, how did your stylists achieve this?”

“I’m not sure exactly. I was just standing in the chariot waiting to be taken away when my stylist J’onn came up behind me with a torch and I was aflame. When I looked over at Lena, I about screamed,” Kara says enthusiastically. 

The crowd starts to laugh at her antics. 

“I think I would have screamed too,” he says with a scared face. 

There is a lull in conversation as Maxwell waits for the laughs to fade out. 

“Now, Kara, I wanted to ask you something. I think we all noticed, when you got picked for the games, there was someone screaming your name as you walked up the stage. Who was that?” Maxwell questions.

“That was my sister,” Kara answers sadly. 

Come to think of it, Kara hasn’t thought about her family much since she got here. It brings a frown to her lips. 

“She seemed to be yelling, ‘Let me do it!’ Why is that?” the man pushes. 

“Well, Alex is older than me and when my name was first entered in, we agreed that no matter what, if one of us got picked, the other wasn’t allowed to volunteer. So she was asking me if she could volunteer for me. And of course I shook my head no. All I’m doing now is trying to fight my way back to her,” Kara answers, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. 

“And fight you will. Ladies and gentlemen, our very own Supergirl, Kara Danvers!”

The crowd erupts into cheers. As Kara leaves the stage, she hears Maxwell announce, “Next up is the second part of our power duo. Lena Luthor!”

Kara meets up with Snapper and Miss Grant in a common area, where they can watch Lena’s interview. 

“Good job ponytail. Could have used a little more enthusiasm, but I’ll accept it,” he says.

“Thank you,” Kara responds, rolling her eyes playfully as she diverts her attention to the screen on the wall.

Lena’s figure gracefully makes it’s way onto the television, practically gliding to her seat. She sits down properly as taught, one leg crossed over the other. 

“Lena, Lena, Lena. How are you doing this evening young lady?” Maxwell asks.

“I am doing mighty fine, thank you for asking Maxwell,” Lena answers.

“Mighty fine. Mighty fine she says,” Maxwell comments, getting a few chuckles from the crowd. 

“How are you enjoying the Capitol?” he questions. 

“It’s good. Very different from back home. There’s one thing that really stands out to me though. The showers here are very confusing,” Lena says. 

“The showers?”

“Oh yes. The first night we got here, it took me a half hour just to figure out how to turn it on,” Lena explains with a laugh. 

“That does sound like our showers,” Maxwell says with a nod. The crowd seems to feel the same, mumbling their agreement.

“So Lena, I was wondering, being the beautiful lady you are, is there anyone special back home?” he asks with a devilish smile. 

Kara seems to tense at the question. What is she going to say?

“Ah, no. Not really,” Lena says with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Not really? Oh do tell,” Maxwell pushes. 

“I mean, well, there is this one girl that I’ve had a crush on for a long time, but I don’t think she was ever into me,” Lena answers. 

“Ah. Well let me give you some advice. You go out there and you win the games, maybe throw a few winks at the cameras in the process, and when you get back home, she’ll have to go on a date with you. Right guys?” Maxwell asks the crowd. 

They burst out in cheers and encouragement for Lena. 

Lena chuckles. “Thank you Maxwell, but I don’t think winning the games is gonna help me.”

“And why is that?” the interviewer questions with genuine curiosity. 

Lena seems to hesitate, causing the breath in Kara’s throat to hitch. 

“Because, because she came here with me,” Lena says with a grim, but serious look. Her eyebrows furrowed. 

The crowd lets out a collective gasp and without realizing it, so does Kara. She stares wide-eyed at the screen, not believing what she’s hearing. 

‘Me? She likes me?!’ Kara thinks.

"Knew it," Kara hears Miss Grant mumble behind her. 

“Oh. Well...that’s bad luck,” Max responds. 

“Yeah, it really is,” Lena says with a downcast expression.

“Well, at the end of the day, I wish you the best of luck. Ladies and gentleman, Lena Luthor!” Maxwell exclaims while standing up and raising Lena’s hand in the air. The girl’s expression is blank as she begins to walk off the stage. 

Kara turns her head when she hears Lena’s shoes clicking down the stairs, walking into the room. When Lena looks up, their eyes lock, neither looking away. As green stares back at blue, Kara knows one thing for sure. They have a hell of a lot to talk about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry! I was originally going to add in a small snippet of Siobhan's interview for the people who were talking about how Siobhan was a gossip, but I couldn't work it in because in the original book, behind the scenes were never allowed to be talked about so I couldn't find a way to word it where it would be proper in the original story. Again, sorry for that. 
> 
> Also sorry, kinda left you on a cliffhanger. So many things to apologize for you tonight. Whoops. 
> 
> Welp, school has been pretty simple so far. Lots of homework, but I've gotten it all done either at school or right after so that's fine. How are you guys doing in these crazy times?
> 
> Hope you're stayin safe!


	12. They Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They do this weird thing called communication in this chapter. Weirdly, it's a topic the Supergirl writers haven't really touched on between Kara and Lena in season 5 so I thought I'd do something crazy. 
> 
> (If you couldn't tell, most of this statement was sarcastic)

Kara rushes to her room, takes off her dress, and throws on whatever clothes her hands grab when she reaches into her closet. She quickly runs to the bathroom and washes off the makeup from her face. She grasps the edge of the marble countertop, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Lena and her agreed to meet up at the roof in five minutes to talk. They knew it would be the best place to have their conversation without being interrupted. 

Kara eventually moves to her bed, sitting down on the soft mattress. She stares at the wall, thoughts rushing through her mind. 

Lena said she liked her. Is it true? Did she mean it? Or was she just saying that so they could get sponsors?

Kara starts to go through all of their interactions. The looks, the gestures, conversations they’ve had. Mr. Luthor mentioned how Kara made Lena feel. Was that how friends feel or was that I like you feel? She decides she can’t wait any longer. She speed walks down the hall and climbs the ladder to the roof. When she reaches the top, she sees Lena, already standing near the edge, looking out over the Capitol.

Her arms are crossed, hands cupping her elbows as if she’s hugging herself. 

Lena turns around when she hears the roof door swing open. When Kara sees Lena’s eyes, she starts to pace not knowing where to start. She walks back and forth, fours steps forward, four steps back, mumbling under her breath. 

“Kara,” Lena says, trying to stop her pacing. When it doesn’t work, Lena tries again.

“Kara,” she says louder. 

Kara stops abruptly, turning towards Lena. 

“Is it true? Do you really like me?” she asks, hoping and praying that it wasn’t an act. “Because I don’t know if you were just saying that or you actually like me because I mean, we do share a lot of lingering looks and you do blush when I compliment you but I’ve never really had a friend who was a girl, not that I don’t have friends, but just not a friend like you, well I mean I had Maggie-“ Kara rambles.

“Kara!” Lena shouts, effectively stopping her rambling. 

Kara takes in a deep breath, letting it out to reign in her composure. 

“Is it true?” she hesitantly asks.

Lena waits a few moments before responding. “Yes,” she says, trying to put up an indifferent façade. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kara asks, frustrated. 

“Kara, do you know why we’re here? Why we’re in this extravagant building? It’s because tomorrow we are going to be thrown into an arena where everyone is required to fight to the death. Do you really think I would want to tell you how I feel just to lose you the next day?” Lena asks, her voice cracking near the end as tears well up in her eyes

“Why during the interview then?” Kara questions.

“Because Snapper said it would help us get sponsors. ‘The star-crossed lovers from District 12,'” Lena says in a mocking tone. “Do you really think I wanted you to find out this way? To find out at all? How could I t-tell you and then the next day, watch you d-die. Lose you right when I had just g-got you,” Lena says, breaking down into tears. 

Kara walks forward and pulls her into a tight embrace. 

“Oh Lena,” she whispers into her hair as she rubs her back, trying to sooth her. 

“I don’t even know what I’m talking about. I’m just a friend to you,” she continues to sob into Kara’s shoulder. 

Kara stops rubbing Lena’s back abruptly. She pulls back, still keeping her arms wrapped around Lena, but putting enough distance between them so she can look Lena in the eyes. 

When the girl doesn’t meet her eye, Kara says, “Lena, look at me.”

Lena lifts her head, eyes stained red from crying and tears still roll down her cheeks. 

“How could you possibly think I see you as only a friend? You are the most beautiful, amazing, and kind person I have ever met. When you talk about something you’re interested in, your hands move around trying to convey as much of your emotion you feel as possible, which trust me, is just too adorable. When you are faced with a challenge, you get this look of determination and you furrow your eyebrows in a way that makes me want to kiss it until they soften. Your laugh pains me, like physically pains me because I love it so much and struggle to get through a day without it. Lena, how could you possibly even consider that I don’t like you back,” Kara says with a soft smile, bringing her hand up to stroke Lena’s cheek. Lena melts into the touch, her eyes fluttering closed. 

She waits a few moments, relishing in the feeling of being close to Kara before she speaks. 

“Kara. We can’t do this. For all we know, we could both be dead tomorrow,” Lena utters, just above a whisper. 

Kara rests her forehead against Lena’s. 

“I won’t let that happen.”

“Kara, the games are inevitable. Either you or me are coming out, or possibly neither,” Lena whispers like someone is listening in, overhearing their words. 

“I don’t care about that. We’ll figure it out when we have to. For now, just tell me you’ll keep your promise,” Kara says with pleading eyes that bore into Lena’s.

“I can’t do that Kara,” Lena says as tears start to pour over again. 

“Please Lena. Just tell me that you’ll keep your promise,” Kara demands, emphasizing the last word. 

Lena doesn’t answer. She just pulls Kara into a hug, tucking her face into her neck. After a few peaceful moments in each other’s arms, Lena pulls back. She then leans forward and places a delicate kiss on Kara's cheek. 

“I promise you, I will keep you safe. No matter what,” Lena says with a sad smile, placing her hand on the side of Kara's head, her fingers threading through the blonde's hair.

She then walks backwards towards the roof entrance. As she climbs down the ladder, she pauses with her head just peaking out. 

She kisses the palm of her hand and blows it towards Kara. Then, she’s gone. Lost to the darkness. 

Kara stands still, staring at the spot where the girl once stood. She wonders if she’ll ever see Lena again. The thought sends a wave of sobs through her body, falling to her knees onto the hard roof. Will she ever hear her beautiful laugh again? The laugh that got her through her darkest days, her worst moments. Most importantly, will she ever have Lena in her arms again, warm and soft and comfy. 

At some point, Kara makes her way back down stairs and into her bedroom.

She cries herself to sleep that night, dreaming of green eyes and a bright smile, looking at her without a care in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tears. Just tears. These guys are WAY too cute. But of course they're useless lesbians and want to protect each other. What can you do I guess?
> 
> Oof. I have band tomorrow at 7 in the morning. But I'm staying up late tonight because I had golf late and I deserve to read at least another hour of fan fiction. We don't care about sleep. Just fill a giant tumbler of coffee tomorrow morning is my strategy. 
> 
> Hope you're liking the story and I also hope you're stayin safe!


	13. The Games Begin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so the next few chapters are gonna be mainly plot progression. Hopefully I can fluff them up a bit, but sorry if you’re not a fan of plot progression

Kara walks to the hovercraft with J’onn, emotions on edge. Today is the start of the games and possibly the last day of her life. As she walks, all she can think about is Lena. 

She didn’t see Lena that morning. Didn’t see her bright smile or her piercing green eyes one last time. When she went to her room to talk to her again, hopefully to change her mind, she was already gone. J’onn told Kara that Lena wanted an early start, so she left early with her stylist Jess. 

Now she walks with J’onn to the machine that will take her to possibly her death. 

“They’re going to put a giant stock pile of goods, the Cornucopia, in the center of all of you. There will be food, weapons, and most likely a bow. My advice to you is don’t go for it,” J’onn advises. 

This doesn’t make sense to Kara. If there were materials right in front of her that could keep her alive, why wouldn’t she go for them?

“Why?” Kara asks with genuine curiosity. 

“It’s a trick. A bloodbath is what the majority describe it as. The Capitol specifically puts those goods there to try to pull you and the other tributes in. There it will be easier to kill each other. That’s why the most kills are on the first day. Don’t worry, Jess gave Lena the same advice,” J’onn explains. 

“Don’t go for the goods. Got it,” Kara says with a determined nod, while staring straight ahead. 

At this point they have gotten to the mouth of the hovercraft. Kara is not sure how long the ride will be. After all, they aren’t being taken straight to the arena. They are being flown under the arena to the launch rooms. The Capitol calls them catacombs. There, J’onn will help with her final preparations for the games. 

When Kara enters the hovercraft, she is directed towards her seat. Most of the inside of the hovercraft is made of metal. The seats are big and bulky. Once seated, she’s clipped in as a woman in an all white outfit comes up to her. 

“Give me your arm,” the woman demands. 

“Why?” Kara asks. 

“We need to put in your tracker so that we know where you are during the games,” the woman explains.

“Oh, ok,” Kara responds as she holds out her right arm to the woman.

The woman grabs Kara’s arm gently before sticking in a needle. A small light seems to travel through the device into Kara’s skin. It’s only a few seconds before the woman takes the needle out and starts to walk away. 

“Well that was painful,” Kara says with a pout on her face as she grasps her arm to her chest.

J’onn lets out an amused chuckle from beside Kara. 

“Don’t worry, the pain will go away in a few seconds. The ride shouldn’t be long. These hovercrafts can go at unimaginable speeds. I’ll be with you the whole way, right up until you go into the arena,” J’onn says with a warm smile. He reaches out his hand towards Kara, offering comfort. 

Kara takes the offering, feeling the rough hands of the stylist touch her palm. 

“Thank you J’onn,” Kara says.

The ride is smooth and quick, just as J’onn said it would be. As they get out of the hovercraft, they enter a plain room with grey walls. It is very clean and refined. Kara thinks she could eat off the floor and it would still be sanitary. There aren’t any furnishings, just a tube near the opposite wall. 

“The changing room is over there,” J’onn says as he points to the right wall. “In there, you will find the outfit the Capitol has given you for the games. The clothes present you with some information about the arena. Is it gonna be cold, is it gonna be hot, etc.. Once you get out, I will explain to you what you should expect based on the clothing.”

“Ok,” Kara says with a wavering voice, the nerves starting to get to her. 

When Kara opens the changing room door, she looks at her surroundings. The room is as plain as the main living space. There’s no mirrors, just smooth pristine grey walls. Kara notices an outfit hanging on the door. 

As she pulls on the pants, she notices that they are thick. Kara has seen people wear these types of pants around District 12. There are pockets all over the pants, useful for storing objects or carrying loads of items in general. The pants come with an elastic belt that pulls to the right size around Kara’s waist. There are shoes on the ground that hug Kara’s feet comfortably when she puts them on. After that, she throws on the windbreaker over her black t-shirt to complete the outfit. 

When she walks out of the changing room, she sees J’onn leaning against the wall. 

“How does it feel?” he asks. 

Kara takes a moment to think about her answer. “Comfortable. I’m a little warm. Both the pants and jacket are thick,” Kara answers. 

“That means there will probably be some cold nights. The pants are durable meaning the arena will most likely have some trees. They won’t rip and can handle tree pine. You can also tell by the shoes they gave you. Rubber souls, perfect for climbing, while also being swift for running. Now, there’s one more thing that will complete the outfit,” J’onn says with a bright grin.

“What?” Kara asks with genuine curiosity. 

Out of his back pocket, J’onn pulls the gold mockingjay pin that Winn had given her. He holds it in front of Kara.

“Oh my God! I completely forgot about it after that first night in my room back in the Capitol,” Kara exclaims in surprise as she goes up to touch it. “My friend Winn made it for me. My father always loved mockingjays. Winn told me that I could use it to channel the strength that not only my father had, but the same strength inside me,” Kara says, remembering her friend’s words. 

“I saw it pinned to your shirt in your room. Every tribute gets to bring a token from their district into the games with them,” J’onn says as he clips it to her jacket. “Whenever you’re cold or hungry and you feel like you can’t go on, touch this and summon the strength that your father passed onto you. Think of the people waiting for you back home.”

Kara touches the pin, smoothing it over with her fingers. As Kara thinks back to her family, all her loved ones back home, a woman’s voice sounds over the room.

“10 seconds to launch.”

Kara looks back to J’onn with fear in her eyes, practically shaking. 

“I may have not known you long, but I can see the fight in you. I can see that you have more determination and more heart than anyone else out there. If anybody has a chance to win this thing, it’s you Supergirl,” J’onn says, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 

And with that Kara pulls him into a tight embrace. 

“Thank you,” Kara respondes, voice quivering.

“Five seconds to launch.”

Kara lets go of J’onn and starts to walk over to the tube. Once inside, the door slides closed behind her and the gravity of the situation ways down. She’s about to be thrown into an arena where she will have to fight hard to come out alive. In mere minutes, people that she has talked to, people that she has looked in the eye will be dead. 

J’onn gives her one last nod before the tube starts to slide up. The platform under her pushes her upwards, towards what, Kara does not know. She feels around with worry, hands touching cold cement as she’s cast into darkness. The darkness doesn’t last long, a bright light breaking through the shadows. 

Before she knows it, she’s above ground. Being disoriented, Kara looks around quickly, head whipping from side to side. In front of her, there is a giant black structure with goods layed about all around it.

The Cornucopia.

The surrounding area is mainly forest. A giant heap of green for what Kara can only assume for miles. To her right, there’s a pond, clear blue water glinting off the sun. Finally, surrounding the Cornucopia in a perfect circle are tributes. As Kara looks around desperately, a man’s voice rings out over the field. 

“Let the First Quarter Quell begin, in 10…”

‘Lena, Lena, Lena,’ runs through Kara’s mind, looking through each and every tribute. Her head snaps around in every direction, hoping that she can find her. 

“7, 6, 5…”

Kara scans face after face, finding fear, contempt, and some blood thirsty.

As the final numbers ring out, green eyes meet blue across the field. They hold each other’s gaze for what feels like minutes, yet it’s only three seconds. With a look that Kara can’t decipher in her direction, Lena diverts her attention forward. 

“1.”

The last thing Kara sees is Lena’s sprinting silhouette before she wills her own body to move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, currently boppin to “la cintura” by Alvaro Soler. Totally recommend listening to it. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrspRNubfyM&list=PLqJZ-sWjlPsSzWouHDoFMX-xyVLryktYg&index=54&t=
> 
> I’m watching Beat Bobby Flay right now which, unopopular opinion, but Chopped is way better. 
> 
> Hope you guys are staying happy and healthy! Drop any comments of what you would like to see for future chapters or just whatcha think of the fic!


	14. The Bloodbath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You probably knew while starting this story that there was going to be major violence like I tagged it. But trigger warning, graphic violence in this chapter

Chaos. That’s the only word Kara can possibly use to describe the scene before her. Just two seconds ago, Kara was still on her pedestal. So oblivious, innocent of what was to come. Now she stands in front of where she once stood, frozen, not sure what to do.

The image that lies in front of her is horrifying. Females from almost every district fight around the Cornucopia. Many already lie dead on the ground or at least bleeding out. But Kara just stands, not knowing what to do. Not knowing where to go. 

To her left there’s a forest, massive and green, seeming endless. To her right, there’s a pond, filled with endless amounts of life and bacteria. And in front of her, again, there’s chaos. 

Kara looks around. Scattered across the field she sees different goods. The farther away the goods are from the Cornucopia, the worse they get. While the Cornucopia is filled with swords, spears, and high-quality goods, outside of it seems to rest backpacks, food, and materials. 

As Kara stands staring, people before her are being killed. Kara recognizes the girl from District 8 lying dead on the field 30 yards away from her. Her abdomen is covered in blood, more than likely a stab wound. The eyes of the girl are void of life, staring out into nothingness. 

When Kara takes a closer look at the Cornucopia, she sees it. The light reflects off it’s neck, glinting in her direction. A sleak, silver bow resting against a food container. They put that there for her. Tempting her, trying to pull her in. 

In the back of her mind, she remembers J’onn’s words. “There will be food, weapons, and most likely a bow. My advice to you is don’t go for it.”

Kara knows she has to run, but where? With that thought, an image flashes through her mind. 

Lena’s running figure. Lena running into the forest on her left. 

Kara’s legs instantly start to move into a sprint. She doesn’t look at her surroundings, worried of what she might see. She keeps her focus on the point in front of her, running towards the forest. 

“RUN! RUN KARA!” Kara hears Lena’s voice in her head say. 

She pauses when she reaches the forest line. Looking back towards the field, she sees a backpack about 20 yards in front of her. 

‘Don’t,’ the same voice says. 

Kara takes a quick look around making sure there isn’t anyone too close to her. She then sprints forward, running towards the backpack. When Kara reaches the object, she slings it over her shoulder, getting ready to sprint back towards the forest. 

That’s when she hears it, or more so senses it. She instantly tucks into a barrel roll, dodging the knife that she knew would be soaring at her head. Getting to her feet quickly and continuing to sprint, Kara turns her head to see what she knows is already there.

Siobhan, the girl from District 2, glares at her with malice. She is about 25 yards away from Kara, but Kara knows that she can throw the knives hanging from her jacket with immaculate precision. 

As the girl brings her arm back to throw another knife, Kara lifts the backpack to shield her head, knowing that it’s Siobhan’s intended target.

Kara feels the knife make impact, right into the backpack as she reaches the edge of the forest. She doesn’t stop to see if Siobhan is following her, she just keeps running. 

Trees fly by her as she runs and runs. As Kara’s feet clamber against the ground, she listens to the different sounds surrounding her. The steady slap of her feet on the sediment, her quick breathing that’s created as her heart rate increases, and the echoing scream of another dead tribute 100 yards behind her. The more distance she can get between herself and the other tributes, the better. 

She doesn’t stop to take a breath. For all she knows, there could be a tribute near. Kara notices the many different trees she passes as she runs. Many of them look to be easy to climb. A smile crosses Kara’s face, knowing the advantage she has on other tributes from her countless years in the woods. 

Because of the many dangers that the woods hold, on multiple occasions, Kara had to scamper up a tree faster than a squirrel. Due to these events, Kara can climb trees easily and faster than most. It is an underrated skill, usually forgotten. 

After nearly an hour of nonstop running, Kara nears a stream. She decides that this would be a good place to get situated. At this point, Kara doesn’t even know what’s in her backpack that she worked, dare she say, EXTREMELY hard to obtain. 

Out of breath, Kara sits down on a bulkie log. She then takes off her backpack, sitting it down next to her. 

Overwhelmed and tired, Kara takes in a few breaths to try and steady herself. In...1, 2, 3…out...1, 2, 3. In...1, 2, 3...out...1, 2, 3. 

After a few moments, Kara turns toward her backpack. It’s bright orange, an eye catching color. Most of the time back home, Kara would pick a backpack like this. Bright and colorful. But here, all it does is make Kara easy prey. Attract predators, bringing them in like moths to a flame. She decides to cover it up with wet mud from the stream, camouflaging it. 

Sifting through the backpack, Kara pulls out rope, a metal water bottle, some iodine to clean any water that Kara finds, a sleeping bag, and matches. Kara quickly fills the water bottle down by the stream and puts three drops of iodine in the water, making it safe to drink. As she brings the bottle up to her lips to quench her thirst, she hears the first canon go off, signaling the dead. 

They are constant, like a steady heartbeat, echoing throughout the arena. Kara counts out loud, helping her keep track of the numbers. 

“Seven, eight, nine…” she says, staring up into the sky. 

The final canon rings out, leaving Kara at the number 12. Half the tributes gone, sent home to their families in boxes. Children, never able to see the sun again. Never able to smile or cry or feel any other emotion for the rest of time. 

The thought pains her, eyes starting to water. She physically shakes her head, trying to dispel the tears. 

As she begins to assemble her things and picks a tree to settle in for the night, all she can do is pray that none of those canons were meant for Lena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POLL TIME because my friend and I got into an arguement about a VERY IMPORTANT question. 
> 
> Peeta or Gale? 
> 
> Newsflash, there is only ONE RIGHT ANSWER
> 
> Hope you guys liked the chapter and I hope you're stayin safe!


	15. The First Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, Peeta won in the poll. My friend can suck it.

It doesn’t take Kara long to find a tree to settle in. There are a plethora of options at her disposal that could work well enough. She definitely couldn’t sleep on the ground. Too risky and she would never be able to get to sleep. The tree she picks isn’t too hard to climb, but someone who wasn’t experienced wouldn’t be able to make it up very easily. 

She climbs and climbs, hands working nimbly against the wood, finding spots that she can grasp on to. Once high enough, she finds a large branch to lay on. She brings out the sleeping bag she had gotten from the Cornucopia. Remembering what J’onn said, the nights will probably be cold. Kara then tied herself to the tree with the rope she had in her backpack. Just in case she moved in her sleep, Kara didn’t want to fall off the tree. She then pulls her hood up trying to surround her head in warmth. 

Finally still and as comfortable as she’ll get, Kara looks out in front of her. The woods always brought a sense of calm over Kara. It was a place that she could escape to. Instead of doing her homework, she would go to the woods. If the boy, William Dey, from school bothered her, then she would go to the woods to clear her head. It was a safe haven, a home of beautiful nature that always brought a smile to Kara’s face. 

Now it puts her constantly on edge, always checking her surroundings and housing one of her greatest fears. 

Death. 

As Kara snuggles further into her sleeping bag, she lets out a deep sigh at the warming sensation. Her mind wanders to Alex and Eliza. She wonders what they’re doing right now. Are they sleeping, or are they currently staring at the hologram screen, not wanting to miss a second, just in case. Is Maggie with Alex to give her comfort in these stressful times? What is Winn doing? Has he thrown himself into his trinkets to distract himself from the horrors that he prayed he never had to witness? 

Trying to keep her mind away from stressful thoughts, Kara starts to think of Lena. She tries to imagine her blinding smile, but her mind can’t possibly capture the beauty of it. She remembers the way Lena’s tongue would slightly stick out of her mouth in concentration while building traps in training. Kara smiles when she begins to think of Lena’s eyes, the soft look the green would take on when it usually met Kara’s blue. A wave of warmth rises in Kara’s chest at the image. 

As her head begins to lull to the side from sleep, Capitol music startles Kara awake, nearly falling off the tree limb. The music echoes throughout the arena. In the sky, images are being displayed, showing the tributes who have died. 

The pictures of the different females play in the sky. Kara notices the picture of the small girl from District 6. The girl who Leslie, from District 2, thought stole her knife. Kara wonders if she was killed at the hands of the Career. 

As the Districts near the end, Kara prays that Lena’s photo will not be shown. To her relief, the last picture shown is of a girl from District 9. Kara doesn’t notice she’s crying until a tear slips down her cheek. She quickly wipes it away, trying to steel herself.

Kara breaths out a sigh of relief, knowing that for now, Lena is safe, she’s okay. 

Kara tries to let sleep take her. After an exhausting day, sleep is what she needs. As her eyes become heavy and she snuggles back into her hood, she’s awoken by a piercing scream. 

“Please don’t kill me!” a girl begs. 

Kara quickly snaps her head to her right. About 200 yards away, there seems to be light showing from the trees. It glows against the darkness of the woods, shining bright. A girl probably set a fire.

Kara remembers Snapper’s words from the first day on the train ride to the Capitol.

“Never light a fire. That’s a good way to get killed.”

As the girl screams one last time, a canon goes off. Kara’s eyes are wide in fear, staring off in the direction of the scene. She hears laughter come towards her. Her heart is beating out of her chest as she tucks her body firmer into the tree. Never in her life has she been more happy that she decided to sleep in a tree rather than on the ground. 

“Hahaha! Did you see her face?” Kara hears a familiar voice say. 

“Hilarious! ‘Please, please don’t kill me!’” another girl mocks, accompanied by a boisterous laugh.

Kara recognizes the tone, the arrogance both voices carry. 

The Careers. 

“That’s a pretty good impression,” Leslie compliments. 

At this point, all four Careers are standing right beneath Kara, oblivious to her presence. One look upwards and Kara is a goner. Kara breaths through her nose, trying to remain silent. 

“Hey, lovergirl! Get over here,” Leslie demands. 

Kara risks a glance downwards. She sees jet-black hair come into view, moving in the wind as she runs towards the group of Careers. 

Kara’s breath hitches when she hears her speak. 

“She went that way,” Lena says, pointing West. “I saw her tracks and camp back there,” Lena explains, pointing behind her. 

‘Is she leading them away from me?’ Kara asks herself. 

“Well, you better be right,” Leslie informs in a challenging tone. 

“I’m rarely wrong,” Lena answers with a raise of her eyebrow, beginning to run forward, away from the group. 

Once Lena is out of earshot, Gayle turns to Leslie.

“Shouldn’t we just kill her now? I mean what’s the point of keeping her alive?” Gayle challenges. 

“The point is that she’s the best chance we have of finding her. We kill her girlfriend and then after, we can kill her. From there, it will all be a breeze. Come on, let’s go. We still have some time to find her tonight,” Leslie says, dragging Siobhan by the hand in the direction Lena ran. 

Several minutes after the Careers have left, Kara is left to her thoughts. 

Kara’s beyond frustrated with Lena. The idea, the AUDACITY she has to go out and RISK HER LIFE just so she can lead these people away from her! Is she stupid?! No. Is she psychotic?! Yeah, psychotic is the right word. Kara is fuming, shaking her head back and forth, trying to send a mental image to Lena of her being angry. 

Some time later, exhaustion starts to creep in after the long day. Eventually, Kara can’t hold it off, letting sleep take her. In her dreams, Lena doesn’t stray far away. Flashes of green eyes and black hair float through her mind, until an image finally takes root. A perfect picture of Kara and Lena’s joined hands, raised in symbol of them being victors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so the deleted scenes and bloopers just came out today for Supergirl and I'm-. I can't even express the emotions. They cut SO MANY supercorp scenes. Like-. BRUH! I was so mad. 
> 
> Don't worry though. Katie made me happy with her dancing. For a woman who says she doesn't dance, she's got some moves. 
> 
> Hope you guys are healthy and reading lots of fan fic! Goodnight or good morning or good afternoon. Whatever works.


	16. The Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this chapter is mainly plot progression because I need the story to move forward. But it gets juicy don't worry!

Kara wakes up at the crack of dawn the next morning. She was still securely in her sleeping bag, having not moved an inch. Her eyes blink open slowly, bringing her fists up to rub them awake. She blows the hair out of her eyes, quickly tying it back into a ponytail. As she looks around, trying to remember where she is and why, her memory catches up with her. The frustration of the night before, the ache in her chest that hearing Lena’s voice caused. 

Lena had truly kept her promise, but not the one Kara was hoping she’d keep. Lena was trying to protect her, trying to keep her safe. No matter what. No matter if it cost her her own life. 

Eventually, Kara unties the rope surrounding her waist and jumps down from the tree. Today, she is determined to get as far away from the Cornucopia as possible, hopefully putting more distance between her and other tributes.

Before setting out, Kara quickly refills her water bottle and reapplies some mud to her bright orange backpack. Then she’s off hiking through the woods. She makes sure to always keep her knife ready, just in case she stumbles upon either an animal or God forbid, another tribute. 

She strolls through the landscape, feeling the urge to whistle. In the end, she decides against it. 

Wildlife beams, scurrying away as Kara walks by. The sight makes her smile. These animals are so free, yet trapped, never to escape. They run around, living their lives, just trying to survive. Kara feels that she can relate to these animals. Living her life back in District 12, but still seeming trapped. Suffocated by the loss of her family, by the control of the Capitol. 

As Kara walks, numerous thoughts cross her mind. She wonders if she could ever kill another soul. If it came down to it, Kara assumes she probably would. But she thinks it would change her. She’s already lost so much. Her parents, Alex’s father Jeremiah. He was basically family to her by the time he died. The last thing she wants to lose is herself. 

After hours of walking, Kara seems to have reached the edge of the arena. A cliff of rocks hanging over an empty abyss. One misstep and she’s dead. Kara decides to make camp there. She would rather have her back covered and not have to worry about someone attacking her from behind.

She quickly sets up a few small traps. Then she goes to gather sticks to prepare her fire. She has to cook what she catches before the sun sets so that it’s harder for people to see her fire, see the smoke it would create. 

Once Kara gathers the sticks she needs, she goes to gather some herbs. Kara was raised with a sense of appreciation of the forest, using all that it holds. She could survive on plants and herbs alone if she had to. 

After around an hour of gathering sticks, herbs, and getting everything ready for her fire, Kara goes to check her traps. The first one is empty but the second and third hold a squirrel and a rabbit. 

Once cooked, Kara digs in. She makes sure to leave some extra food for later, just in case she doesn’t get as lucky over the next few days. 

As the sun starts to set, Kara diminishes her small fire and picks a tree for the night. She goes through her same routine from the night before, tying the rope around her waist and sliding into her sleeping bag. Night falls just as Kara finishes getting settled in. With the cool evening brings the Capitol music showing what tributes have fallen. 

Predictably, the girl who Kara assumes was the one who set the fire just the other night is displayed. Today seems to have been a boring day for the games, with only one death. Thankfully, Lena wasn’t one of them.

As Kara falls asleep, she hopes that tomorrow would be just as boring as today.

____________________________________

A smell stirs Kara from her deep slumber. 

“Five more minutes,” she mumbles to the forest. 

The smell somehow brings Kara comfort. It reminds her of cold nights spent huddled together with Alex and Eliza around their home fire. Eliza usually would make some form of soup while they played homemade board games. The picture in her head brings a small smile to Kara’s face. 

Fire. Fire?

As the realization dawns on Kara, she snaps her eyes open. All around her, bushes and trees are alight, creating smoke that covers the area. But didn’t she put out her fire last night? No this couldn’t have started from her small camp. This destruction was created with intention. 

The Capitol must be pushing her somewhere, but where? Kara decides it doesn’t matter, quickly untying the rope around her waist and jumping out of the tree. She instantly slings her backpack over her shoulder and sprints. She runs along the fire’s edge, trying to follow the scurrying animals running around in panic. 

She coughs violently into her arm as she inhales a puff of smoke. At this point, the animals she was following are gone, already escaped. Kara whips her head from side to side, looking for a clearing. 

‘Where to go, where to go?!’ she thinks frantically. 

Kara sees a small cave surrounded by rocks. She sprints towards it, looking for some cover. When she reaches the rocks, she braces herself. Trying to catch her breath, she doesn’t see the fireball heading her way until it’s too late. She tries to roll out of the way, but the ball explodes when it hits the ground, sending sparks in every direction. The explosion flames at Kara’s thigh, sending searing pain shooting through her leg.

Kara instinctively crawls to put her back against the rocks. She stretches out her leg in front of her, trying to assess the damage. There is a large burn on her right thigh, charred skin showing through the torn pant leg. She cringes at the pain, biting down hard. 

Only after a few seconds of rest, Kara here’s a whistling sound. When she looks up, she sees a fireball coming straight at her head. 

Just before it hits, Kara rolls out of the way successfully, fireball hitting the rocks behind her. She then gets up and sprints. She whips her head around looking for an area where the smoke has cleared. After what feels like miles of sprinting, Kara sees a bundle of rocks. From what she can see, there seems to be a body of water near them. 

“Water,” Kara chokes out through her exhaustion. 

She can barely think over the searing pain of her leg. She practically cannonballs into the water, yearning for its relief. Kara relaxes into the liquid, eyes fluttering closed at the sensation. 

“That’s better than Maggie’s rabbit potstickers,” Kara talks to herself, as she sighs with relief. 

Immersing herself even deeper into the chilled water, she lets her mind wander. She tries to steady her breathing, paddling her legs in the water. As she revels in the repose, she hears an exclamation. 

“Leslie! There she is!” Siobhan yells, pointing at Kara’s figure. 

The four Careers look ecstatic, picking up their pace. Lena trails behind them. They are around 100 yards away from Kara, coming near after seeing her bobbing in the water. They run on the rocks along the river bank, laughing as one tries to out race the other. 

Leslie shouts in Kara’s direction. 

“Where ya going Supergirl?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I was eating apple pie tonight and i've got to say. It did not have a great apple to pie ratio. Too many apples. 
> 
> I have a 6 hour car ride tomorrow and I am PUMPED! Unpopular opinion, long car rides are the best. Change my mind. 
> 
> Also, sorry kinda left you on a cliffhanger. Guess you've got to wait till tomorrow!
> 
> I hope you guys are likin the story so far and I hope you're stayin safe!


	17. Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so tired. I've already eaten three pieces of pizza and have been in the car for six hours. 
> 
> I'm not a HUGE fan of this chapter because I didn't edit it very well, but I hope you still like it!

“Where ya going Supergirl?!” Leslie shouts. 

As Kara hears the Careers’ continued shouting, she races out of the small pond. She is dripping wet from head to toe. Her legs are soaked as she runs through the forest. 

Kara barely feels the burn in her leg as she runs, adrenaline pumping through her body. Jumping over a large log, Kara hears the Careers getting closer. They are hooting and cheering as they run after her. 

Kara knows she can’t outrun them, thoughts racing through her mind, trying to decide what to do.

Stopping her running, Kara looks around for the nearest tree. There are a plethora to choose from. If she can climb high enough, maybe they can’t catch her. 

The tree isn’t too hard to climb, but she’s experienced. She races up the tree, fearing if she goes any slower, they’ll kill her. One wrong move, one slip of the foot and she’s dead. Fed to the pack of animals that are the Careers. 

Once she’s about 30 yards up the tree, she hears the Careers skidding to a stop. 

“That tree is not going to help you, Supergirl,” Gayle says mocking. 

“Get up there and kill her Leslie,” Siobhan says, urging Leslie forward. 

With encouragement, Leslie starts to climb the tree, her sword in her right hand.

“I’m gonna get you and when I do, you’re going to die slowly,” Leslie says through her teeth, malice in her voice. 

Kara notices her physique. She’s broad and kinda heavy. Each time she grabs for a branch, her body moves stiffly. 

As Leslie climbs up the tree, Kara hears the other Careers cheering her on.

“Kill her Leslie!” Siobhan encourages. 

“You’ve got this Leslie!” shouts Imra.

Lena stands behind the group, not making a sound. She stares up at Kara, heart beating out of her chest.

Leslie only makes it about 15 yards up the tree before she grabs a loose branch, falling to the ground with a thump. 

“Shit!” Leslie grumbles, getting up off the forest floor. 

At this point Kara is well up the tree, give or take 50 yards. She sits comfortably, wedged in a fork in the tree. 

“Where’d you learn to climb like that Leslie? You’re extremely talented I must say,” Kara yells down at them, taunting. 

“Let me handle it,” Imra says in annoyance, taking the bow out from behind her back. 

Bingo.

Kara thinks about the bow Imra holds. It’s silver and pristine. It’s more refined than any bow Kara has ever touched, other than the bows at the Tribute Center. The District 1 tribute uses it in haste, rather than the grace needed to control such a weapon. 

Imra fires up an arrow, just missing Kara. After that, she shoots another one, missing Kara by a mile, way off it’s mark. 

“Leslie, maybe you should try throwing your sword. That might work,” Kara taunts with a mocking smile.

The smile is wiped from her face when she hears Lena speak.

“Let’s just wait her out. I mean she has to come down at some point. We all have to eat or drink. She won’t stay up there too long,” Lena says, hoping to buy Kara some time.

“Whatever,” Leslie grunts, shoving her sword at Lena. “You can start the fire then if you’re so confident.”

As the Careers disperse, Kara tries to get more comfortable in the tree. She lays her leg out in front of her, starting to feel the burning pain once more. The skin on her thigh can only be described as charred now. 

Kara doesn't see Lena looking up at her from the ground, worry evident on her face. 

Trying to sooth the burn, Kara pours some water on her leg from her water bottle. Pain shoots through her leg as her face scrunches up in agony. Kara knows she is going to have a long and painful night. 

____________________________________

It’s nightfall when Kara hears the weird dwindling of the parachute. She still sits with her leg laid out in front of her, searing in pain, when she looks upwards. The parachute landed in her tree about 10 yards upwards.

“This better be good,” Kara grumbles as she starts to move, making her leg spasm.

The climb isn’t far. She eagerly tears open the parachute when she reaches it. Opening the container, Kara finds a smooth, mushy substance. Assuming it’s medicine, a very expensive item Kara might add, she lightly dabs her fingers in the substance bringing it down to her leg. Instantly, she feels cool relief spreading throughout her thigh. 

“Correction, that’s better than Maggie’s rabbit potstickers,” Kara mumbles to herself. 

Kara is surprised that Snapper would have raised enough money for an item like this. Yes she did score an 11 in ratings and knows that she had sponsors, but enough to buy her a tube of medicine? 

Being in a dazed state of relief, Kara almost doesn’t hear the person trying to get her attention.

“Pssssst.”

Kara looks around the darkness in confusion.

“Pssssssst,” the person busses louder trying to get Kara’s attention.

When Kara catches the person’s eyes, she almost falls out of the tree in shock. In the tree next to Kara stands little Nia from District 11. Her big brown eyes stare at Kara, piercing through the darkness. She seems to be pointing at something above Kara’s head. 

As Kara looks upwards, she sees what Nia was pointing at. A giant tracker jacker nest. Genetically engineered lethal wasps that could kill after just a few stings. Kara thinks Nia is warning her so that she doesn’t get too close, but Nia seems to have another idea.

When Kara looks back in her direction, Nia makes a sawing motion. She then points down towards the ground where the Careers and Lena lay. Over and over she makes the sawing motion until Kara nods her head, signaling that she knows what she means. 

After affirming that Kara got the message, Nia jumps away between trees, leaving Kara to make a decision. 

Does she stay up in the tree and try to wait out the Careers or does she cut down the tracker jacker nest, getting rid of the Careers but endangering Lena?

Decisions, decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I'm writing another fic. It's like a 2,500 word one shot, which I usually post, but it took me some time to write. I'll probably post it tomorrow. 
> 
> Question. Who here likes to make their feet/legs fall asleep. Because someone commented on the last chapter saying they didn't like long car rides because their legs fall asleep. Personally, I love making my legs and feet fall asleep, but that's just personal opinion. 
> 
> Thanks for readin and I hope you're staying safe!


	18. Back Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so multiple people were asking for a chapter of what's going on back home, so I decided to write one. 
> 
> I really love fics where Lex is a good brother instead of a bad brother, so I hope you like what I wrote. 
> 
> I'm actually pretty happy with how this chapter turned out so I hope you like it!

Lex walks up towards the house, his feet echoing as each step creeks with his weight. He walks up to the door as he has for the past however many days, loaf of bread in hand. 

He steps forward, bringing his hand up to knock as he wraps on the door three times. Almost instantly the door swings open. 

“Alexander! So good to see you again!” Mrs. Danvers exclaims, pulling him into a hug. 

He hugs her back just as tenderly, reveling in the warmth the woman exudes. 

“It’s nice to see you as well. I brought bread! Just like my father said, never come empty handed,” he says, holding out the loaf like he hasn’t brought bread every single night for the past week. 

“Well, thank you. You know you only have to bring yourself. But the bread is greatly appreciated,” Eliza says with a warm smile. “Please do come in.”

Lex gives her a polite smile, walking into the Danver’s home. Eliza follows him from behind. 

“Alex and Maggie are in the living room as usual. I’m going to go to the kitchen to cut this up. You know the drill,” she says, walking off towards the kitchen. 

Lex can tell she’s trying to keep it together, trying not to break. For the past week, he has come to the Danver’s home, eaten dinner with them as they watched the games together. It’s sort of become routine. 

He remembers the first night he showed up. 

His mother, Lillian, had been going on and on about how she was so happy that her son didn’t have to go through the Reaping. 

_____

Lex was gripping the arms of his chair, knuckles turning white as Lilian continues to speak. 

“Thank God this year was changed. I can’t imagine having to go through another year with you possibly being taken from me.”

He’s pushed to the brink as Liliian finishes. 

“-now I can sleep easy at night.”

Lex pushes himself up from the table abruptly. 

“Do you even care about her?! You obviously don’t love her, but I at least thought you were a smidge of a decent human being to possess the slightest worry about where she is, about the high possibility that she might die,” she yells at his mother. “I don’t care if she’s not your biological child. I don’t care that she’s some ‘devil’s spawn’ as you like to call her. I care that she was a small little girl, fragile at that, looking for a mother’s love and all you did was spit on her. And you continue to do it now. You can say whatever you want mother, but I’m not going to sit here and listen to it,” Lex says, stalking off towards the front door, slamming it as he exits. 

He walked through town, not knowing where to go. He didn’t realize where his feet were taking him until there he stood. In front of the house of the girl that Lena adored. The girl she constantly talked about, drew, smiled at. 

Should he say hello? Knock?

He shakes his head no, beginning to turn around. 

“Lex?” he hears a girl ask. 

Lex turns around to find the older Danvers sister, staring at him with a bewildered look from the doorway. 

As the boy stands frozen, Alex speaks again. 

“I’m sorry, I just saw you standing out here staring at our house for the past five minutes. Thought I might see what’s up,” she explains. 

“Alex, what does he want?” Maggie asks, coming up behind her in the door. 

Lex still stands frozen, not knowing what to do. 

As Alex raises her eyebrow at him, he begins to speak. 

“Um, I was just trying to blow off some steam, walking through town when somehow I ended up here. I didn’t mean to bother you,” he says, waving his hand good naturedly as he begins to walk off. 

“Hey wait. Would you, um, would you like to come in?” she asks, shoulders raised in question. 

He turns back around to look at the girl. She looks confident in her question, not asking out of pity. 

“You sure?”

“Of course,” she responds, turning to the side as she holds out her hand trying to usher him in. 

As he walks up the steps, he throws a mumbled thank you in the two girls’ direction. 

_____

Now he walks into the living room to find the same two girls, sitting on the floor as Alex lays with her back against Maggie’s front, both girls supported by the couch. Winn sits on the couch the girls lay against, eyes focused on the TV. He looks up at the sound of Lex entering the room.

"Hey man," Winn says, scooting over on the couch.

Lex takes the offered seat next to Winn. 

“What’s happening?” he asks.

“Kara’s still in the tree. Her burn was looking pretty bad, but Snapper somehow raised enough money to send her some medicine. Looks like the fund the people started is helping,” Alex explains, her attention keeping on the TV as she speaks. 

Since Alex and Kara are well known around District 12, many were heartbroken to hear and see that Kara had gotten picked. So they started a small fund to send into Snapper, basically like sponsors, but not as much money. Alex was brought to tears when she first heard about it. 

“She can’t stay up there for long. One way or another-” Alex starts, tears starting to form. 

Alex has never been someone who cries very much. She always kept in her emotions, trying to keep an indifferent exterior the majority of the time. But after Kara was picked, she became a wreck. She rarely sleeps, mainly crying into Maggie’s shoulder every night. She almost never takes her eyes off the TV, only when she has to go to school or for family dinner. 

“Sssssshhhh. She’s going to be okay. Your sister is smart, she can survive anything,” Maggie whispers into Alex’s ear, kissing the back of her head. 

Alex seems to calm at her touch, breathing becoming more even. 

“My sister won’t let anything happen to her. She’ll figure something out whether she draws them away or somehow kills them all. Lena would do anything to keep your sister safe, not caring if she dies in the process,” Lex says, downcast as he thinks of the possibility of his sister not coming home. 

They sit in silence, watching the Careers sleep, before Eliza walks in. 

“Dinner is ready!” she announces, getting the teenagers out of their seated positions. 

They eat dinner in comfortable silence, having polite conversation here and there. Eliza tries to get something started. 

"So Winn, have you built anything new recently?" she asks.

"Not really," he says shyly, continuing to look down at his food.

"Oh come on. You can brag," she says with a warm smile. The smile that always makes people feel welcome, feel loved.

"Well, I have been working on a little something," he says with an excited smile.

Winn jumps into conversation with Eliza about his new working filter for the town that can help the poorest of citizens have clean drinking water, a major problem that most families in 12 face. Eliza listens with wrapped attention the entire time, soaking in all the information Winn gives out.

They continue eating for a few more minutes, happy with the peace they have found in this makeshift group. It's sad that it took something so horrible to bring them all together, but the feeling it still nice.

Once finished with their meals, Lex pulls back his chair.

“Dinner was lovely Mrs. Danvers. Thank you so much for your hospitality,” he thanks, placing his napkin on the table. 

“It’s our pleasure dear,” she says with the warmest of smiles, placing her hand on his arm. 

“I really should get going. My mother would be very angry if I was out too late,” he explains. 

“Tell that old hag to shove it,” Alex pipes in. 

“Alex!” Eliza scolds. 

“She’s got a point Mrs. Danvers,” Lex responds with a chuckle. 

“Well she shouldn’t be saying it,” Eliza responds, sending a motherly glare in her daughter’s direction. 

"I've got to get going as well Mrs. Danvers," Winn says, walking around his chair. "My mother would also like me home."

"Please tell Mary I said hi," Eliza hopes.

"Of course," Winn answers with a nod of the head.

"You ready bud?" Lex asks, gesturing towards the door.

"Yep."

“Again, thank you for dinner Mrs. Danvers,” Lex says, backing away towards the door with Winn right behind him. 

“Please feel free to come anytime,” Eliza says, just like every night. 

He gives her a polite nod, exiting the house. 

“We should probably get some sleep,” Maggie says, getting up from her chair. 

“I’m not tired,” Alex deadpans, getting up to walk towards the living room. 

“Alex, you need to sleep. You haven’t in days. It's night in the arena anyways. Nothing is going to happen,” Maggie points out. 

“But what if something does?”

“Nothing will. And besides, Kara wouldn’t want you staying up for days without sleep just to watch. She would want you to be healthy and not cranky. She always hated cranky you,” Maggie says with a chuckle, brushing a strand of hair back behind Alex’s ear. 

“I don’t get that cranky,” Alex says with a huff, starting to walk towards her and Kara’s shared bedroom. 

“Sure Miss ‘Don’t talk to me, Kara kept me up all night gushing over Lena’s smile',” Maggie teases, following the girl into her bedroom. 

“Shut up,” Alex says lovingly, sliding under the covers on her side of the bed. 

Maggie slides into the other side, instantly becoming the big spoon as she wraps her arms around the redhead. 

Alex always found it amusing how Maggie loved being the big spoon. Maggie was extremely small in height, so she found it cute how her girlfriend loved feeling like the bigger one in the relationship.

Alex snuggles her back deeper into Maggie’s front, reveling in the comfort that the smaller girl always brings her. Even in her hardest times, Maggie was always there to help her, make her feel better. It makes Alex's heart swell with love. 

“I love you Maggie,” Alex whispers into the darkness. 

“I love you too Alex.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I'm posting so late! I was driving all day and homework, tests, yadayadayada. 
> 
> Just like someone suggested that I write this chapter, please if you want to see something specific like more chapters like these, please comment your thoughts. I'm not only writing this story for myself but also for you guys, so please feel free to make suggestions. 
> 
> Please tell me if you liked this chapter so I know what you want to see because I originally never had anything like this so I just wrote this like an hour ago. That's why the total number of chapters changed from 33 to 34. 
> 
> Hope you guys are happy and healthy! As the queen Katie McGrath would say, stay safe, stay sane!


	19. Her Decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, we're back to the main story with this one. As from two chapters ago, Kara needed to make a decision. In this chapter, we find out what that decision is.

Kara waits until the Careers are asleep. If she can get Lena’s attention and warn her, she won’t be in danger of getting hurt by the nest of tracker jackers. 

She lays in the tree for hours, hoping that the last Career, Siobhan, will finally lull her head to the side and let sleep take her. 

By the look of it, Kara knows Lena isn’t sleeping, even though she appears to be. Her breathing is too ragged, not steady and constant. Her face looks bothered rather than the peaceful expression her face takes while in sleep.

Kara looks down at the scene, watching Siobhan's head fall onto Leslie’s shoulder out of exhaustion, knocked out cold. She starts to climb down the tree, getting closer to the ground, but not too close just in case she has to climb quickly back up. 

Lena lays with her back against a tree, arms crossed with her legs laid out in front of her.

“Psssssst. Lena,” Kara whisper shouts.

Lena doesn’t move. Kara decides to try a little louder.

“Psssssst. Leeeeennnnaaa,” Kara draws out. 

At this, Lena cracks one eye open. They become wide when she sees what Kara is doing. She whips her head around looking at the sleeping Careers, praying they don’t wake. Lena tilts her head to the side, sending a questioning glance towards Kara. 

Kara waves her hand over, beckoning Lena to get up so she can talk to her. 

Very carefully, Lena stands up from her position, walking gracefully around the Careers, trying not to wake them. 

Standing right below the tree Kara has occupied, Lena whisper shouts back. “Kara if they wake up, they’re going to kill you!” 

“Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

Imra lets out a groan and rolls over. Lena freezes, holding her arms out in a ready position. Instead of waking up, Imra stays fast asleep, arm slung over Gayle. 

“Please talk fast. We can’t risk them waking up,” Lena says. 

“Ok. Up in the tree is a tracker jacker nest. I have a knife. If I can cut it down, then it will drop down here. The Careers will run away when the nest bursts. I can’t risk you getting hurt. So stand off to the side when I drop the nest. Then when I come down, we can run away without them bothering to care,” Kara explains. 

“Kara, if you get stung even twice from that nest, it could kill you. It’s too risky,” Lena says, eyebrows brought together in concern. Lena knows she can’t change Kara’s mind when she’s set on something, but she has to try. 

“It’s the only way Lena. I’ll be careful, just promise me you’ll run as far away as you can get when I drop the nest. Don’t wait for me.”

Lena gulps, staring up at Kara. The girl in front of her silently pleads, begging Lena to listen to her. 

“Kara-” Lena starts. 

“Don’t wait for me,” Kara says, staring right back. 

With a slight nod of her head, Lena speaks. 

“I promise.”

“Good. Now be ready. When I get up there, I’m going to start cutting. Hopefully the noise won’t wake them. Even if it does, the nest will fall fast enough to where they won’t have time to react.”

Lena nods her head, mulling over what Kara said. 

As Lena starts to walk away from the tree quietly, Kara speaks. 

“And Lena?”

Lena turns back around softly, looking up at the blonde quizzically. 

“Yes?”

Kara pauses, taking in all that is the girl in front of her. Her nails are bitten down to the bud, a habit Kara picked up on from Lena ever since she saw her in school. Even with her dirty hair and dirt covered face, Lena is still wonderfully beautiful. 

“Stay safe. For me,” Kara says with an adoring look in Lena’s direction.

The statement brings a soft smile to Lena’s face. 

“Always.”

WIth that, Kara starts to climb back up the tree as swiftly as possible. When she reaches her backpack that was perched up between two branches, Kara takes out the knife Siobhan threw at her during the bloodbath. 

Kara then starts to climb upwards towards the nest. There are no tracker jackers out of the nest, seeming to be subdued from the smoke of the fires. With a sense of determination, Kara slides the knife back and forth against the wood of the branch. 

The noise isn’t too loud, but it could catch the Careers’ attention. As Kara carves into the branch, a tracker jacker seems to leave the nest, buzzing incessantly. Kara tries to cut faster, hoping the wasp doesn’t sting her. With that thought, she feels a painful jab at her neck. 

Kara takes a sharp inhale of breath, pain ringing throughout her neck. By now, she has cut halfway through the branch. As she glides the knife back and forth, more tracker jackers seem to awake. 

Kara remembers Alex talking about tracker jackers while they were roaming through the woods back home. 

_____

Kara walks through the woods, looking high up into the trees, searching for any birds that might be oblivious to her presence. She thinks she spots a large bird in the tree when in reality, as she comes closer, looks like some wasp nest. Kara walks closer, curiosity becoming the better of her. 

“Alex, what’s that?” Kara asks, pointing upwards towards the nest. 

“That’s a tracker jacker nest. They give you powerful hallucinations. The Capitol originally created them during the Uprising. They were a very useful weapon against the districts,” Alex explains. “After the Uprising ended, the Capitol just left them throughout Panem, not bothering to take them out. That’s why there are multiple nests still in the woods. You have to be mindful of them. One to two stings will knock you out for days. Three stings could kill you. You don’t want to go near them.”

_____

Kara is pulled out of her thoughts when she feels a piercing sting on her hand. The pain shoots through her whole arm, down her side and reaches her feet. She groans in pain, continuing to bring the knife back and forth, cutting into the wood.

She feels the branch starting to weaken as the knife makes its final cuts. The wood starts to tip, the branch unable to hold its weight anymore. 

Everything seems to happen in slow motion as venom starts to course through Kara’s veins. The branch falls, hitting many other parts of the tree on its way down. Kara fears that it will get caught up in the brush, until finally, she sees it make impact with the group. 

When it hits, tracker jackers swarm, ready to kill on instinct. 

Screams erupt from the Careers, panicking as they see the scene before them. 

Kara starts to climb down the tree. Her body is slower, lethargic. Kara is sure the venom has made it to her blood stream. 

Below her, the Careers sprint away in screams of pain and fear. Leslie is the first to run away, selfish in her idea of every woman for themselves. Siobhan follows close behind. 

“Get to the lake!” Gayle shouts as she runs away, swating the wasps that surround her. 

Imra isn’t so lucky. Instead of running away instantly, she decides to try and grab some of her gear. The wasps swarm her, piercing her skin with stings. 

She screams out in pain, falling to the ground. Eventually, her body spasms out, twitching on the earth floor as her skin looks seared. 

Kara nearly reaches the bottom of the tree, her foot slipping on the last branch as she falls. She hits the ground hard, standing up out of merily common sense. She walks unsteadily over to Imra’s body, staring down blankly at the already dead girl. 

Kara sees the light reflect off the metal of the bow that the girl still holds. 

“Ooooooooooo,” Kara draws out sluggishly, kneeling down to take the bow out of her hands. 

She rips it out of the ravenette’s grip, running her hand along the metal in foggy minded wonder. To the right of the District 1 tribute lays a satchel of arrows. Kara nearly falls to the ground bending over to sling the satchel over her back. 

Once securing her weapon, Kara tries to walk away. Her body sways from side to side, slowly moving away from the scene. 

She slumps against a tree, trying to regain her balance. The world around her is spinning. In this mess of colors and shapes, Kara sees three people sprinting at her. She furrows her eyebrows, confusion overtaking her as she watches the three figures run towards her. They get closer and closer, but Kara can’t seem to defend herself. 

“Kara what are you doing?! Run! Get out of here!” the figures scream. 

After a few seconds of staring with wide confused eyes, her vision focuses. Kara realizes it wasn’t three people. It’s Lena, screaming at her to run. 

“Bu yu promis to run awy,” Kara slurs, her eyes unfocused. 

“GET OUT OF HERE!” Lena screams, spear in hand. She then turns around, seeing a large figure running towards her. 

“I’ll hold her off. Run Kara! RUN!” Lena exclaims, standing protectively in front of the blonde. 

With Lena’s demand, Kara runs in the opposite direction as fast as she can. Her breathing is labored and her mind is extremely foggy. All around her she sees flashing images. Some cut out, some form into different faces. 

She runs far and fast, or at least in her own mind, she thinks it's fast. The world spins out of control as she slows her running. Kara sways from side to side, eventually collapsing to the ground as the world pulls her down under.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUN!
> 
> Cliffhanger? Kinda?
> 
> Someone in the comments said they wanted to see more Lena's point of view, so I'm gonna write a chapter with Lena's point of view for the next one. The estimated chapter number is increasing as you can see because of different ideas you guys are giving me! I love it
> 
> Please, tell me anything you want to see in particular. 
> 
> ALSO, took my biology test today, felt like I only got one wrong because I had no idea how to convert Celcius to Fahrenheit. Long story short, I don't like the sciences. But I got an A on my math test so, happy bout that. 
> 
> Hope you guys are happy and healthy!


	20. Got Tu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I'm so bad at titling chapters now. The titles have just gotten worse and worse over time, but welp, what can you do. 
> 
> Like I was saying in the ending note on the last chapter, someone said that they wanted to see Lena's point of view, so I wrote this chapter from Lena's point of view. 
> 
> Don't worry, I'm not rewriting scenes but from Lena's point of view, I just did a part of the story the book never did with Peeta. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Lena stands, spear in hand as Leslie stalks forward. The brute’s eyes are unfocused, but determined. Leslie’s walking is uneven as she gets closer to Lena. 

Lena looks behind her, glancing at Kara’s running form as she gets farther and farther away. She whips her head back around, Leslie only 10 feet from her now. 

“You, you are go-gonna pay for that,” Leslie husks out. She begins to raise her sword as she charges forward, swinging it lazily around. 

Lena jumps out of the way, making the Career fall to the ground. Leslie grunts in frustration, obviously becoming more dazed. Lena notices the tracker jacker sting on her neck. If she can just get Leslie to fight long enough, the girl will pass out.

“Is that all you got?” Lena asks, taunting the angry tribute. 

The blonde gruffs, pounding her left hand into the earth. A vein pops out of her arm at the strain. 

She gets up abruptly, charging again at Lena. Lena waits for the girl to get close enough, so she can jump out of the way at the right moment. 

Sadly, she times it just a tad late. By the time she tries to jump out of the way, Leslie swings her sword in the opposite direction than she was expecting, slicing open her right thigh. 

Lena screams out in pain at the strike, feeling her skin slice open. She instantly brings both hands to her thigh, grasping at the now cut open fabric. Her breathing is fast as the pain moves through her body, all down her right side. Her arm, leg, feet. 

“Got tu,” Leslie slurs, collapsing to the ground with a thump. Her body splays out on the earth floor, not a single part of her moving. 

Lena’s legs start to shake as her leg becomes weaker and weaker. 

She falls, side hitting the ground as she takes the weight off her injured limb. She lays her legs out in front of her as she examines the wound. It’s already bleeding steadily, blood soaking her pant leg. 

She grunts in pain as she tries to contract her muscle. Tears well up in her eyes from the sensation, her entire body feeling the intensity of the slash. 

Lena knows she has to do something, anything, besides sitting on the ground, but her brain struggles to function from the pain. The thought of possibly eliminating Leslie, killing her doesn't even cross her mind. All she can think about is numbing the pain, surviving. She looks around for some vine, or a large leaf. 

About 10 feet away, she spots some green root from a tree. As she tries to crawl towards it, pain shoots throughout her body. 

She groans, whimpering as she inches her way over to the root, clawing at the earth to push herself forward. 

Her breathing is extremely labored when she reaches it, instantly crafting a sort of turnit to wrap just above her injured limb. Lena remembers learning about it at a survival skills station. The vine cuts off a certain amount of blood flow towards that limb, helping her not bleed out. Thank God for Snapper’s advice. 

She breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth as she finishes tying the vine tight. She sits in the middle of the forest floor, not a sound besides the scampering animals running by. Lena begins to think of what to do, where to go. 

She can’t stay here. She would be a sitting duck. Lena tries to move, but knows she needs a plan first. Wasting her strength or exertion will just make her leg bleed more. The more blood she can conserve, the longer she has. 

Lena decides that she needs to find a spot close to water so she would have a constant water source, but find an area where she can easily hide without having to move. 

She gets an idea. 

Lena begins to get up, turning around onto her stomach and putting all her weight on her hands as she gets up on one leg. She starts to walk, limping heavily, as she makes her way towards the river she had seen just a few nights before. 

With every bit of weight she tries to put on her right leg, she groans out in pain, tears starting to form yet again. 

She makes her way through the forest, walking in what she believes is the direction of the river. As she makes her way, her foot catches on a tree root, making her fall towards the ground. 

She screams in pain, a choked out sob passing her lips as she hits the forest floor. Lena tries to absorb the blow by landing on her hands, but her leg still aches in pain from the fall. Her leg throbs, starting to bleed more heavily. 

Lena takes in a few deep breaths, using all her strength to get back up. The action makes her whine as she pushes upwards, eventually back onto her feet. She continues towards the river, knowing it’s her best chance of survival. 

Again, she limps heavily, sometimes taking breaks to rest her weight against a tree. 

After a solid ten minutes of making her way through the woods, she hears rushing water. She lets out a relief filled breath as she makes her way forward. 

Lena breaks through the tree line, solid rock under her feet as a river rushes about 10 yards in front of her. She looks to her left, boulders occupying the entirety of down stream. She then looks to her right, seeing rock for a solid 50 yards until there is slight greenery, just right of the river. 

The walk would be hard, going uphill with her leg but she feels it’s her best bet. 

Blood drips down her leg as she makes her way forward. The rock below her feet becomes covered in red as her blood drips off her skin. Her mind starts to become hazy from the blood loss, eyes defocusing. 

She makes her way forward, each step becoming harder and harder. Once halfway there, she spots the sun glint off an object to her right. Just inside the forest line seems to be a bush of berries. An idea comes to mind as she makes her way over, grabbing a handful as she continues to walk forward. 

She nearly collapses when she reaches the greenery, laying her back down into the ground. Instinctually, she grabs as much leaves as she can, covering her entire bottom half. 

Lena can tell that the blood flow has slowed down as she rests in her lying position. Looking to her right, Lena takes a handful of mud, mushing together the sludge and berries to form an earth color. She spreads it over her face, trying to cover any and all skin color, spreading it over her hands as well. 

By the time she’s done, not a single part of her skin shows. She pulls out more greenery from the ground, covering the entirety of her body now as she lays down flat, lost to the human eye. 

No one will see her as she is completely camouflaged, becoming just another part of the ground. Now all she can do is wait, and hope that tomorrow, she’s still alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I woke up this morning just not happy to start the day because I had to wake up early for band, but then I watched an extremely funny video and it made everything better. It was a supercorp crack video. Don't worry, I'll put the link right here.   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc9IW9_Zopo&list=WL&index=11&t=0s
> 
> I don't know about you guys, but I'm so pumped for the NFL season to start. Currently watching the Chiefs vs. Titans game. Just the feeling that fall football brings, not even the football itself. 
> 
> Please tell me if you liked this chapter, tell me if you want me to do anything in particular or just in general what you want to see. 
> 
> Anybody who is on the west coast of where I'm from, USA, please stay especially safe. Praying for you and your safety. 
> 
> Hope you're healthy and goodnight, good morning, good day, or whatever works!


	21. Back Home Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone said they wanted to see more back home and because the majority of the chapters from here on out are gonna be the main story, I wanted to add in a back home chapter for you guys. 
> 
> Spur of the moment thing, so sorry in the last note when I said this chapter would be back to the main story. 
> 
> Not sure if this chapter is very good but I hope you like it!

Alex is alone, sitting on her family room couch. Maggie was currently working in the Hob, promising that she would be back later tonight. 

The red head wears Kara’s hunting jacket, a sense of comfort in the feeling of the leather against her skin. It still smells like Kara, the hew of mossy wood and strong herbs she always picked when she had nothing else to do. 

The forest is displayed on the hologram TV. It mainly focuses on Lena, laying down or that’s what Alex thinks. She can’t see her very well after she smudged her face with dirt. 

Not gonna lie, Alex thought it was quite impressive how smart she was, the idea of camouflaging herself next to a main water source. Especially in her position and mindset.

Alex has no idea how Kara is doing, where she is, if she’s even alive. It puts her extremely on edge as the camera shifts to the Careers and then back to Lena. 

Somehow, Alex feels like the Capitol is doing this specifically to torture her, like they know she’s sitting in her living room, praying to any God, any higher power that her sister is okay. 

She lets her mind drift off to other thoughts, other stresses. 

Alex had no worries about school. Traditionally every year during the games, the Capitol played the footage on repeat or live all throughout the school day, learning no new material nor receiving any homework. Also, teachers usually gave a pass to the siblings of children who were in the games, feeling the slightest bit sympathy for the kids who most of the time, had lost their best friend when their sibling was picked. 

She hasn’t been in school since the day before the Reaping.

Alex thinks back to that day. 

Life seemed so much more simple, even though it was still hard. They had a routine. Kara and her walked to school, stopped at their respective lockers to get their books, Alex would stop by Maggie’s locker to say hi and usually a good morning kiss that Kara would advert her eyes to, and then they’d go to class. 

After that, Kara and Alex went home, changed, hunted until they had enough food, went to trade, and then finally did their homework. Eliza would cook a meal during most of this and once finished, the two girls would go to sleep soundly, knowing that tomorrow was a new day to experience, to breath, to live. 

But all that was stripped from her. No more morning walks to school, no more bonding in the woods, no more “Goodnight, I love you”s. Alex’s throat gets taught with emotion at the string of thinking.

She quickly wipes away the tear that had fallen, shaking her head profusely to dispel the thoughts. 

Alex groans when she hears knocking on the door. 

She checks her watch, trying to assess who it could be. It definitely wasn’t Maggie, too early for her to have come home. It wasn’t her mother, Eliza, too busy working her shift in the District Infirmary. School hadn’t let out so it couldn’t be anyone from there. Also, Winn couldn't come tonight, needing to spend some time with his mother. 

The knocking gets more persistent and loud as she goes through her thoughts. 

“All right, I’m coming, I’m coming. Chill,” she says, getting up from her seated position and walking towards the door. 

She twists the nob, opening the door to a scene in front of her eyes that she never expected. 

Lex stands just a few feet in front of her, tear stained cheeks as his arms are loosely crossed. 

“Hey what’s-” Alex is cut off when Lex comes forward, wrapping his arms around the redhead. 

She surprises herself, pulling him close. He sobs into her shoulder, grasping at the girl’s shoulders. 

“I, I to-told you she’d d-do anything,” he stammers out in between sobs. 

Alex doesn’t know what he’s talking about, until she comes back to their conversation just the night before. 

____

“My sister won’t let anything happen to her. She’ll figure something out whether she draws all of them away or somehow kills them all. Lena would do anything to keep your sister safe, not caring if she dies in the process.”

____

The man, boy, continues to sob into Alex’s shoulder as she rubs soothing circles on his back. 

Alex never realized how much of a toll this was taking on Lex. The boy always seemed so put together, like nothing could affect him. 

She never thought about how this must be for him as well. His own sister, the girl who went through everything with him, thick and thin, was dying. She was bleeding out and most likely wouldn’t survive. 

Lex probably feels the same as Alex does, constantly on edge, worrying about if they’re okay, if they’re safe. 

“Come on, let’s get inside,” Alex says, keeping her arm around Lex’s shoulders as she brings him into the house. 

She guides him towards the couch, his body hitting the furniture with a thump. 

When Alex sits down, he instantly clings to her again, the need to feel secure in anyone’s arms. 

“I was, I was watching it at school when I saw the fight. I couldn't handle it, rushing out of class. She-she was so stupid. Kara told her to run, told her to leave no matter what, and she came back to fight,” Lex says, frustration evident in his voice. “No matter what, Lena will do anything to save her,” Lex drifts off. 

He doesn’t have to say who “her” is, Alex knowing damn well who he’s talking about. 

“And please don’t take offence. I love your sister. She has done so much for Lena, saved her in more ways than you can count. It’s just, it’s hard you know.”

Alex nods her head along, understand his pain. 

Lex seems to compose himself, pulling back slightly to rest his back against the couch. He lets out a deep breath, puffing out his chest and then letting it fall. 

“And now she’s going to die because of it. I told her, I TOLD HER to try, just try to come back to me. You’re probably thinking me weak, cliche of me to ask her to survive, to come back,” Lex states, looking at his hands. 

“No, of course not. I told Kara to come back to me as well,” Alex says, trying to share her mutual feelings, share that she truly knows how he feels. 

“Yeah, well at least Kara’s trying. Lena doesn’t care if she, herself, dies or not, as long as she can protect Kara. As long as Kara’s safe, she’s happy, content,” Lex rants. Lex's next words are a whisper, Alex barely able to hear. “And this whole time I thought it was just a crush." 

Silence draws out between them, Alex knowing the full meaning behind his words. Eventually, she puts her hand on top of his.

“My father doesn’t make anything better. He hasn’t watched a glimpse of the games, not even the interviews. I see why he doesn’t want to, but instead of watching, he drowns his sorrows in alcohol. Every night, he comes home from God knows where, reeking of the substance. Pisses the hell out of my mother,” Lex says with a fake chuckle, not looking in Alex’s direction as he speaks. 

“I haven't gotten a good night's sleep since before the Reaping. Every night, my mind is either plagued with nightmares or my parents are screaming at each other down stairs,” he explains. The boy wipes his eyes, obviously worn down from his exhaustion. “I wish we could just go back before all this. Before the Reaping, before we even fully understood what the games were.”

Alex’s face takes on a solemn look, thinking back to the days where she was ignorant to the world around her. The days where her innocence shined through and the only bad she thought existed in the world were ghosts. 

“You and me both,” she says, a dry chuckle accompanying the statement. 

They sit in silence, hands still intertwined. Eventually, a thought comes to Alex’s mind. 

“Would you like to stay here tonight?” she asks. “I mean, you said that you haven’t been sleeping well and your parents are constantly screaming at each other...”

“Oh no, I would hate to be a bother-”

“Lex, you basically live here anyway, besides going home to sleep at night,” Alex rationalizes. “Please, I insist,” she says sincerely.

After a few moments of contemplation, he nods his head slowly. 

“Thank you. It, it means a lot,” he says, looking down towards his feet. 

Alex pulls him into a hug, feeling a bond forming between them unlike any other. 

That night, when Maggie and Eliza come back to the house, neither question the pillow and blanket folded on the couch as Lex and Alex wash dishes in the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm postin this so late. My brother wanted me to watch the last episode of Cobra Kai for season 1. 
> 
> I'm so proud of myself. I finished all my homework tonight so that I can just read and write over the weekend. Super pumped. 
> 
> I like how in this chapter we get to see a deeper side to Lex that the show never writes. I feel like Lex at one point was a good brother when they were younger, but just got crazier over time. Again, I love good brother Lex fics. 
> 
> Praying for my readers on the west coast and I hope everybody is staying healthy!


	22. The Alliance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BACK TO THE MAIN STORY! YAY! I hope the beginning of this chapter isn't too confusing

There’s a knock on the classroom door, interrupting the teacher’s explanation. Kara sits at her desk, tongue hanging out of the side of her mouth, doodling vehemently in her sketch pad. She doesn’t heed any attention towards who’s at the door, while whispers surround the classroom from other kids. 

Kara’s head snaps up when her name is called. 

“Kara, could you follow me out into the hall please?” Kara’s teacher asks, standing at her desk now. 

Kara reluctantly closes her sketchbook and starts to get up from her chair. 

“Make sure to bring your backpack sweetie,” Kara’s teacher says with, what is it? Pity?

“Oooooo someone’s in trouble,” the annoying boy Mike teases. 

“Shut up Mike,” Kara says, following her teacher out into the hallway.

Once outside, she is greeted by a man. She assumes it’s the man who knocked on the door. 

“Hello Kara,” the man greets, outstretching his hand. 

“Am I in trouble or something, because I swear I didn’t do anything!” Kara says, not taking the man’s hand. 

“No Kara you’re not in trouble. I don’t really know how to put this, but I’m a bearer of bad news,” the man says, kneeling down to Kara’s eye level and taking hold of her shoulders.

“I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there was a mine accident this morning. Your parents were too deep, unable to escape. I’m sorry honey, but they didn’t make it.”

The image in Kara’s mind changes. An elevator, going down the mine shaft, exploding. Dust settling everywhere as the rubble encompasses the area. A few bodies climb out of the wreckage. Kara runs to the scene, screaming for her parents.

“Mom! Dad! It’s me Kara! I know you’re down there. You have to fight! You have to come back!” Kara says, frantically searching through the rubble. She throws a rock over her shoulder, hands covered in dust. 

When Kara tries to move a large boulder, she notices her friend Alex, laying in the rubble, knees pulled up to her chest. She seems to be sobbing. 

“He’s, he’s go-gone,” Alex stammers out. 

Kara doesn’t know if Alex is speaking to her or herself. Kara’s eyes go wide at a realization. Alex’s father Jeremiah worked in the mines too. Could he have? No, no, no. He couldn’t, they couldn’t be dead. 

“Alex we have to keep searching for them! Claw! Move rubble! We’ll get them! They’ll, they’ll come up, they’ll come back to us!” Kara says, frantically throwing rocks behind her back, digging. 

“Kara they’re gone” Alex whispers, a sob wracking her body at the words.

“No, no they-they’re not gone Alex,” Kara says, falling to her knees. “They were just with me this morning. They can’t be go-gone,” Kara stammers. 

Tears cascade down Kara’s face, Kara not bothering to wipe them away. 

The scene floats through her mind, eventually drifting, changing into a similar, but different circumstance.

“She’s gone, Kara. She fought well, but there could only be one victor. I’m glad you came home to us,” Alex says, patting her on the shoulder. 

Turning her head away from Alex, Kara looks to her right at the open casket. There lies a body. Thin, pale, and utterly lifeless. 

Lena.

At that last image, Kara snaps awake, breathing in large guffs of air. She whips her head around, looking at her surroundings. She’s still in the forest, still in the games. They were all nightmares created by the tracker jacker venom. 

Kara brings her hand to her chest, feeling her heart pounding against her rib cage. She lets out an unsteady breath, trying to compose herself and come to grips with where she is. 

As her breathing becomes more steady, she feels an itching sensation on her hand. Going to scratch it, she encounters leaves up along her arm. They seem to be full of moisture, soaking up the condensation on her arms. As she examines the intricate work of the leaves, she hears a twig snap. Kara reacts quickly like any experienced hunter would, grabbing her bow off the log on her right, pulling back an arrow for a quick shot.

When she sees big brown eyes nervously staring at her from behind a tree, she brings the bow to a rest. The girl is Nia, practically shaking with fear. Setting the bow down, Kara walks towards the tree.

“Nia sweetie, don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you,” Kara says in the calmest voice possible. 

She peeks her head out from around the tree, staring wide eyed at Kara. 

“You won’t?” she asks in a sheepish voice.

“Of course not,” Kara says with a bright, welcoming smile. “Why would I hurt you?”

Nia shrugs her shoulders, still slightly scared but obviously more relaxed. 

Kara walks forward, kneeling down in front of the girl as she places her hands on Nia’s arms. “You know how the Careers have that big, giant alliance?” Kara asks. 

Nia nods her head, eyes looking on at the blonde. 

“Well, we could have an alliance of our own. Only if you want to of course,” Kara says.

The girl’s face splits into a smile, shaking her head up and down quickly. Kara laughs at the sight, pulling the brunette into a hug. Nia seems to cling to her, feeling a sense of warmth and kindness in the blonde’s grasp.

After a few moments, Kara pulls back. 

“Now, are you hungry? Because I’m starving,” Kara says rubbing her stomach.

Kara’s antics get a giggle out of Nia. As Nia walks forward from behind the tree, Kara wraps her arm around her shoulder. 

“How about I gather and you hunt?” Nia suggests.

“Deal! Meet back here in 15 minutes?” Kara asks. 

“Ok. But just in case one of us gets into trouble, I think we should have a call,” Nia answers, still shy. 

“What did you have in mind?” Kara questions.

“Well back home, we have a certain call to end the day and let everyone in the fields know it’s time to pack up. There are plenty of mockingjays back home who carry the tune for miles. Do you know what mockingjays are?” she asks. 

Kara smiles, unknowingly bringing her hand up to fidget with the mockingjay pin on her jacket. 

“Yeah I do,” Kara answers. 

“Good. I’ll hum the tune out to you so you know what it sounds like. The mockingjays should pick it up,” Nia says pointing to the sky.

The tune Nia hums is short, but beautiful. Just like she said, the forest area fills with the echoes of the call. Mockingjays sing it back to them, the melodic sounds filling Kara’s ears as the sounds surround her from every direction. As the tune fades, Nia speaks. 

“So if one of us hears that, that means the other is safe and will be back quickly.”

“Ok, sounds good to me. Stay safe and I’ll see you soon,” Kara says, walking off in the opposite direction.  
____________________________________

They sit next to each other, around the small camp they made, each eating a bird wing. Nia has been quiet, but Kara feels that she can get her out of her shell.

“How long was I out?” Kara asks.

“Well, I watched the whole ordeal go down high in the trees. I saw you stumbling around, walking away from the scene. You kept running though, slowly at that. You passed out after a few hundred yards. It was three days ago. I changed your leaves twice. They suck all the venom out of your body,” Nia explains. 

“Wow, three days!” Kara exclaims, a little too loudly at that. She winces at the sound, lowering her voice. “You said you watched everything go down. Did you see what happened to the other girl from my district, what happened after I ran away?” Kara asks, worry evident in her voice. 

“I didn’t see much. I think that Career, Leslie, got a good swing at her before she passed out from the stings. I’m not sure if she hurt the girl or not. But I’m pretty sure she’s down by the river, near those giant boulders.”

Kara stares at her feet as thoughts race through her mind, worry pooling in her stomach. What if she got stabbed? Is she hurt? Why did she have to fight her off? She told her to run God damn it! All she wanted to do was protect her!

Kara is pulled from her thoughts when Nia speaks. 

“Is all that stuff really true? About you and her?” Nia asks, seeming a little excited about the subject. Her brown eyes fill with curiosity, a cute small smile adjorning her face. 

Kara contemplated telling her the truth. Her and Lena’s story wasn’t extremely interesting, but it was something Kara held dear to her heart. Sponsors might take interest in it, sending more money into Snapper. 

“Well, Lena and I have known each other for years. We always saw each other at school. Threw some shy glances and small smiles. She even helped me with my homework sometimes. I had a massive crush on her and wanted to ask her out. But I was always too scared. I didn’t even know if she liked me back and I didn’t want to face the possibility of rejection. 

"No matter what, I was always thinking about her. Always looking at her across the classroom instead of listening to the lesson. Her smiles always brighten my day and her laugh makes me feel euphoric. Like the sun has risen in my chest,” Kara says, smiling at remembering the sound. “I truly like everything about her. I might even love her, but I don’t really know. I’m not sure I know what love is. 

“Before we went into the games, I promised her that I would protect her, but she had ideas of her own. She tried to protect me instead. That’s why she joined the Careers, leading them away from me. I told her to run when I dropped the nest, but instead she came back to help me,” Kara finishes with a wistful look, praying that Lena is okay. She could be dead for all Kara knows, the blonde closing her eyes at the thought as her chest constricts, trying to compose herself. But Nia said she was still alive. Kara holds on to that information as she opens her eyes back up, changing the conversation. 

“Now, enough about me. Is there anyone back home that catches your eye?” she asks, bumping her shoulder against Nia’s.

Nia turns her head towards the ground, suddenly acting shy.

“I don’t know...kinda,” she says with a sheepish voice.

“Come on, spill the beans,” Kara encourages.

“Well...there is this one boy I like. His name is Querl, but we all call him Brainy because he counts the end of the day stock for us. He’s my age, but he’s really smart and kind. Lots of people don’t like him because he's awkward in social situations, but that’s what I like about him. He’s out there and thoughtful and he always brings me a flower at the end of the day from the fields even though he could get in trouble if he got caught.”

Kara’s eyes light up at the information. 

“He sounds like a keeper!” Kara exclaims.

Nia smiles shyly, looking down towards the ground as she picks apart her food. She then takes a bite out of the cooked animal, humming at the delicious taste. 

After a few minutes of silently eating, Kara decides to ask a question.

“So where are the Careers after everything that happened?”

“Since most of them only got stung once, they were only out for around a day. That girl from District 1, Imra, wasn’t so lucky. You probably remember that she died. After you dropped the nest, the rest fled back to the Cornucopia. Leslie woke up a day later, eventually joining back up with the pack,” Nia explains. “I went to go check on them periodically. They’ve got all the goods from the beginning of the games stockpiled right next to the Cornucopia.”

“So basically you’re saying that the Careers are stocked with goods and weapons that could last them weeks?” Kara asks.

“Basically.”

“Well that’s just unfair I think. Maybe we should level the playing field,” Kara proposes with a devilish smirk.

“And how would we do that?” Nia asks, curiosity bettering her. Her voice comes out higher pitched, showing her true age of just 12 years old. 

Kara boops her nose, eliciting a smile from the young girl. 

“I’ll explain in the morning. Now, the sun’s going down and we should get some sleep. I can tell that you are very good at climbing trees. How about you pick the tree for tonight and I’ll pick the tree tomorrow night? Deal?” Kara asks. 

“Deal!” Nia exclaims, high-fiving Kara. 

She then runs a few yards away, already climbing up the tree she picked for the night. Kara tidies up their camp and then climbs up the tree as well, spreading out her sleeping bag to share with Nia. 

Once settled, Nia wraps her arms around Kara like a koala, trusting her wholeheartedly with her life. She kisses the top of Nia's head, wrapping her arms around the young girl and pulling her close. 

As Kara drifts off, a similar image parades her mind. The same image that has faded through her dreams for years. Piercing green eyes and jet black hair. All Kara can do before she goes to sleep is pray that Lena is safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My mom made apple pumpkin bread and I'm seriously vibin right now. Also, I found a friend from my school who also loves supercorp so now we're fast friends. 
> 
> Anybody here seen "the Good place" because that show is amazing and I'm rewatching it. Janet and Eleanor are the best characters, change my mind. 
> 
> Hope you guys are staying safe and again, praying for my readers on the West Coast! Please take care


	23. Game Changer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realized that I kinda forgot Winn existed there for a second. So I went back to the "back home" chapter, chapter 18, and added Winn in. He is slightly mentioned in the other back home chapter, chapter 21, as well. If you would like to read the chapter with his character now added, feel free to do so. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!

They stand in front of a large pile of sticks and branches they created. Two similar piles lay spaced out, hundreds of yards away.

“Now, tell me the plan again, exactly how I described it,” Kara says, looking towards Nia.

The height difference between the two girls is cute. With Kara being 5’8 and Nia being her small 5’2, Kara truly does look like a big sister. 

“You walk to where the Careers’ stockpile of goods are, near the Cornucopia. I light this pile of sticks on fire to draw them away because they’ll think someone started a fire to cook their food. Then I’ll move onto the next pile and the pile after that. Once they’re drawn away from their goods because of the fires, you will find a way to destroy their supplies or at least take some of it. Is that right?” Nia asks. Kara can see the small girl cross her fingers, hoping she described it correctly. Kara chuckles at the sight. 

“Perfect! The Careers won’t know what him ‘em. Now, come here,” Kara says, arms open wide for a hug. 

Nia collapses into Kara’s arms, relishing in the safety and warmth she has only felt with the blonde. Considering Nia’s small size, she fits perfectly in Kara’s arms like a puzzle piece that found its place.

Kara strokes the girl’s smooth brown hair, kissing her on the side of the head. 

“Don’t worry. We’re going to be okay. Just remember our call and we should be fine,” Kara says pulling back, her hands still on Nia’s arms. She's not sure if she's trying to reassure Nia or herself. “I’ll see you tonight for dinner. In great detail, I’ll describe to you the dumb looks on all the Careers’ faces after their food is gone,” Kara promises, scrunching up her features in a funny face. 

Nia giggles at Kara’s antics. 

“Promise?” she sheepishly asks, her voice small and high-pitched. 

“I promise,” Kara says, pulling Nia into her arms yet again, struggling to let go.

Though, eventually she knows she has to. Kara pulls back, slinging her sheath of arrows around her shoulder and starts walking away.

She walks backwards, making sure to remind Nia of one last important detail.

“Wait a solid 20 minutes before you light it. I need time to get to their campsite.”

“Got it!” Nia responds.

With reassurance that she has time, with a promise that they will be safe and sound tonight, Kara turns around, walking farther and farther away from the familiarity of their shared camp site.

____________________________________

Kara kneels at the edge of the forest, but somehow out of sight. She found a spot of brush that gives a clear view of the field in front of her, but shields her from outside watchers. 

Out in front of her lays the starting point of the games. The giant Cornucopia stands in the middle of the field, with podiums encircling the structure. Kara tries to pinpoint her podium, the machine that brought her up from below the arena. Her eyes scan them each, but they all look the same, molding together. 

The ground surrounding the podiums in which the tributes started on seems to be dug up. Dirt piles laying to the sides of the circular stands. 

Kara’s attention is drawn away from the podiums when she hears an exclamation. 

“Guys look! Up there! The smoke!” Gayle exclaims, pointing towards the smoke in the sky. "Some idiot probably started a fire."

The Careers all sit in a makeshift camp, tent over their head as stray goods surround them. Sitting with the Careers is a small girl that Kara remembers from District three. You can tell she feels she doesn’t belong, is constantly on edge. 

Why would a girl from District 3 be with them?

“Let’s go then. Should be an easy kill,” Leslie says, fetching her sword and getting up from her chair. 

“You keep watch. We’ll be back soon,” Siobhan demands, pointing at the girl who obviously cowards under the Career’s stare. The small girl shakes her head rapidly yes, never willing to challenge the brute tribute. 

The Careers collectively run off towards the direction of the smoke. Gayle trails behind Leslie and SIobhan, who seem to be in demand. As their figures fade, reaching the forest, Kara brings her focus back to the task at hand. 

About 100 yards in front of her lies an enormous pile of goods. It must be what Nia was talking about. The pile contains a range of food to some of the most pristine weapons ever forged. 

Kara’s filled with confusion as she looks at the area. Surrounding the pile are large mounds of dirt that resemble ant hills.

Trying to piece together the information that she has, Kara remembers something. 

District 3 specializes in technology. Their factories are known for the amazing weapons and tools they build. Kara remembers learning in history class that they have an entire sector dedicated to the making and using of bombs. The only reason the Careers would let a District 3 girl run with them is if they were using her. They must have made her dig up the bombs surrounding the podiums and plant them around their goods to protect them. 

Kara is brought out of her thoughts when she sees a streak of red running towards the massive pile. 

Indigo. 

Indigo maneuvers herself around the planted bombs, seeming to have figured out the makeshift puzzle. She jumps left, right, diagonally. Her autumn red braid whips at her back and she jumps from position to position. She makes her way through the puzzle, reaching a food container. 

Opening it swiftly, not wanting anything to accidentally drop, she takes out an apple and small handfuls of cheese. Enough to sustain her health, but not too much that the Careers will notice. 

The District 3 girl is oblivious to her surroundings, twiddling with the spear in her hand. Kara can tell that the small girl has never used a weapon before. She can see in her eyes that she doesn’t want to use it, rolling the metal back and forth in between her hands. The girl is so immersed in the object in front of her, she doesn’t see the event behind her unfold. 

Indigo swiftly jumps around, making her way back through the puzzle, food in hand. She runs behind the tent containing the District 3 girl. The rustling of the grass created by Indigo's legs grab the small girl’s attention, making her whip her head around, checking her surroundings. 

The tribute doesn’t see anything, instead deciding to get up and find the source of the noise. She leaves her chair, spear in hand as she walks in the opposite direction of Kara towards the forest’s edge. 

This is Kara’s chance. No one is around to stop her. 

The only problem is, Kara can’t get close enough to the pile to take any goods, not understanding the puzzle that the Careers created. She wasn’t paying close enough attention to Indigo to memorize which jumps to take. Kara decides it’s too much of a risk to try. 

She looks over the large pile of goods, trying to find a solution. Kara scans the area, until her eye catches a sliver of light, reflecting off an object in the pile. She takes a closer look, spying a string bag of apples hanging off the side of a food container. 

The image sparks an idea, a plan forming in Kara’s mind. 

If she could set off the bombs by somehow releasing the apples from the bag containing them, then she could destroy the food, eliminating the Careers’ entire main food source. 

Kara stalks forward out of her hiding place, trying to get slightly closer to the pile. She grips her bow firmly, bringing it up into position and pulling out an arrow. If she can cut the bag open, the apples would fall to the ground, sending off a chain reaction of explosives. 

She pulls the arrow back, letting out a shallow breath. Her eyes focus in on a spot as she releases the string. The arrow pierces through the air and grazes the bag, cutting it near the top but not releasing the apples. 

Kara feels frantic, the possibility of the Careers returning looming over her head. Her heart beats out of her chest, palms sweating. She pulls out another arrow, and takes three long and smooth breaths to steady her hands and racing heart.

She gracefully pulls the arrow back like she has done thousands of times before. She can see the little frays sticking out of the bow string as it’s pulled back to its max. Kara takes one more breath in and out, calming her pounding heart before letting the arrow fly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUN!
> 
> I feel like I end multiple chapters with dun, dun, dun. Gots to think of something more creative. What about *GASP*. I kinda like that. 
> 
> Sorry I ended the chapter again on a cliffhanger. Whoops. Don't hate me. 
> 
> Some people were asking for another back home chapter later on in the story. I'm gonna try to add one in there later, but it probably won't be for a while. BUT I am adding in something that is outside of the games that isn't a back home chapter, so stay tuned for that. 
> 
> ALSO, just a warning, there is gonna be major angst soon. Most of you know what's coming, but for those who don't, I pray for your soul. 
> 
> Hope you guys are happy, healthy, or at least trying to find that. Have a nice night, morning, day, etc.!


	24. Tears, pain, and anguish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is some graphic violence in this one chapter. Just a warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just-. I'm sorry. That's all I've got to say.

Everything seems to happen in slow motion. The arrow soars through the air eventually reaching the bag and slicing it open through the bottom.

A perfectly glazed red apple falls from the bag, followed by a green apple. Kara notices that the green is similar to Lena’s eyes, but too bright and not nearly as beautiful. 

The apples hit a container on their way down, clunking hard against the manufactured plastic. Kara wouldn’t be shocked if the apples were bruised from the impact. 

Eventually, they reach ground. There is a brief moment, maybe a millisecond where everything is still, until a bang breaks through the silence. The first bomb goes off, sending a container soaring through the air. It sparks a chain reaction, until everything explodes, knocking Kara backwards as she falls on her back.

Her head hits the ground hard, the back of it whipping against the earth. She tries to open her eyes, but the light is blinding, making her close them once more. Her ears are ringing, a constant buzz encompassing her world. The heavy weight of her bow lays on her stomach, bracketing her down to reality. Kara slowly picks herself up and crawls her way back to the forest, hoping the trees will shade the light and make it less painful. 

She opens her eyes once more when she feels her hands touch leaves. The forest shade helps her eyes adjust to the world around her. Her vision is a little wonky, probably from the impact her head made with the ground. 

She is extremely disoriented, trying to focus in on her surroundings. In front of her lies the same field from just five minutes ago, but it is a much different sight. Instead of the large pile of goods, there’s debris strewn across the area. Different materials such as jackets, rain gear, and large baskets of food that any tribute would pray for, lay scattered, burning until they are unrecognizable. A light hew of ash has covered the field. 

Kara’s sheath of arrows is still slung around her shoulder. She looks herself over, checking to see if the explosion caused her any damage. 

Besides a couple of scratches, she seems to be okay. She brushes herself off with her hands, still kneeling on the ground, hidden away from sight in the safety of her hiding spot. 

The ringing in her ears hasn’t stopped, but it has dulled with time. A muffled sound punctuates her hearing like when your ears pop during an elevation change, drawing her attention back to the field where the pile of goods used to lay. 

“What the hell happened?!” someone yells, sounding mumbled.

Kara tries to focus her vision, making out the figures stalking towards the tent where a confused looking District 3 girl stands. Kara squints her eyes, trying to see a clear picture. At some point her vision comes into focus and Kara sees two Careers, Leslie and Siobhan looking furious. 

“We left you here for five minutes, FIVE MINUTES and somehow you fucked that up!” Leslie shouts, towering over the petite girl. 

The Career is fuming, breathing heavily as she looks around at the scene around her. Leslie turns back to the girl when she tries to defend herself. 

“I don’t know what-“ the girl is cut off abruptly when Leslie brings her hands up around the girl’s neck, snapping it in a split second.

Kara wants to throw up at the sight, quickly getting up and leaving her hiding area. She sprints as fast as she can away from the scene, tears burning at the back of her eyes. 

She stumbles a few times, still a little dizzy from the events before. 

Trees fly past her as she makes her way back to Nia and her campsite. The images replay in Kara’s mind. Leslie’s arms thrown about in frustration. Leslie’s hands rising upwards to wrap around the young girl’s neck. Kara physically shakes out her head, trying to dispel the horrifying images. 

After 10 minutes of running, Kara passes their camp from the night before. 

“Nia,” Kara whisper shouts, trying to see if she is in the area. 

With no response, Kara whistles out the four note signal that they designed. The birds carry out the tune, letting Nia know she’s safe. Kara turns her ear to the sky, trying to listen for Nia’s returning call. 

Nothing. 

She decides to make her way towards the second pile of sticks that they created, seeing if Nia had to hide in the area. As she nears the pile, she sees that it was never lit, still sitting idly in the center of the forest. If another tribute would pass by, they wouldn’t think twice about the pile, blending in with its surroundings. 

Kara starts to look around the area, whistling out another call. As she tries the call again, not getting a response from the first, a piercing scream echoes throughout the forest.

“Kara!”

The sound comes from her right, hundreds of yards away, sound bouncing off the hard bark of the surrounding trees. 

“Nia!” Kara screams back, running towards the direction of the original sound. 

“Kara come quick!” another shout penetrates the air. 

As Kara runs, Nia’s silhouette comes into view. She lays on the ground, body trapped under a net that must have fallen from the nearest tree. She squirms under the material, trying to break free. 

“Kara I’m trapped! Help me!” Nia pleads. Kara can tell the girl is terrified, complete and utter fear reverberating throughout her voice. 

“You’re okay Nia, you’re okay,” Kara soothes, frantically pulling out her knife from her backpack and starting to cut the net. 

Freeing her after only a few slight cuts around the main base, Nia shoots up in relief into Kara’s arms. 

“I don’t know what happened. I was just walking, trying to gather a few more sticks for the pile just in case and then the net fell down and I-” Nia rambles. 

Kara pulls Nia back at arms length.

“You had me worried sick, you know that?” Kara says, running her hand down the side of Nia’s face, hand smoothing through her hair. A tear falls down the left side of Kara’s face, struck with relief that Nia was okay, she was safe. 

Nia’s eyes focus on Kara’s face, until they flicker to something behind her. Kara sees her focus change, turning her head around to see what Nia’s looking at with alarm. 

Running towards them about 50 yards away, Kara sees Gayle, the District 1 tribute. She looks furious, but excited. Now that Kara thinks about it, Gayle wasn’t with Leslie and Siobhan when they came back to the Cornucopia. Too distracted at the time, she didn’t take notice of it until now. 

“This is for Imra!” Gayle shouts, pulling her spear back to throw. 

Kara reacts quickly like any skilled hunter, making the split decision to pull back an arrow of her own and fire it towards the staulky tribute. Before the arrow hits, Gayle’s spear is already in the air. It flies past Kara, while Kara’s arrow hits Gayle straight in the chest. 

The tribute’s body hits the ground slowly, the life draining from her eyes with every inch she falls. Kara whips her head around to see if Nia’s okay. She just witnessed Kara kill someone for Christ’s sake. Turning around expecting a stunned Nia, she instead finds her face stark white, face etched in pain. Kara looks downwards to find the source of Nia’s turmoil. 

Sticking out of her abdomen is Gayle’s spear. Nia looks downwards, absentmindedly pulling the spear out of it’s entry point, covered in blood. Nia instantly collapses toward the ground, Kara catching her before she hits the earth. 

Tears burn at the back of Kara’s eyes, welling up as her throat becomes taught with emotion. 

“You’re okay, it’s gonna be okay. Ju-ju-just stay with me Nia. We’ll, we’ll figure something out,” Kara chokes out, tears streaming down her face. How could she let this happen? If she had just somehow stopped the spear with her bow, Nia would be in her arms sighing in relief rather than struggling to take a breath. 

Nia slowly shakes her head, knowing the emptiness in Kara’s words. 

“It’s okay Kara. It’s okay,” Nia whispers.

“No! It’s not okay!” Kara shouts, even though she knows she shouldn’t.

Nia makes a shushing noise, somehow trying to sooth Kara. Kara should be the one soothing her, helping her, saving her. 

The small girl looks at Kara, brown eyes strained with pain, somehow still trying to fight even if it’s useless. 

“Did you destroy their goods?” Nia asks, her voice getting weaker.

Kara nods her head vigorously.

“Did their faces look as stupid as you thought they would?” Nia questions.

Kara lets out a watery chuckle, wondering how Nia can still be so light in a situation like this. She strokes her thumb against the girl’s cheek, feeling the soft skin under the pad of her finger. 

“They looked dumber than a bag of rocks,” Kara answers with a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. 

A slight smile creeps onto Nia’s face as her features soften. After a few moments, Nia makes her last request.

“Can you please hum something?” she asks, her voice cracking near the end of her sentence. 

Kara nods dumbly, wiping the tears that have spilled from her eyes as she cradles Nia’s head in her lap. 

She starts to hum the same lullaby she hummed to Lena that night on the roof, back in the Capitol. As she starts the tune, Nia's eyes begin to fade, fluttering closed. Kara continues the lullaby and finishes it in its entirety. By the end, Kara knows Nia is gone, lost to the world. 

She cradles the small body to her chest, sobbing into the late girl’s shirt. She rocks back and forth, continuing to hum the lullaby, not bothering that she’s the only one who can hear it. 

After a few minutes, Kara stills. The young, enthusiastic girl that was once Nia is gone, but she shouldn’t be remembered how she looks now. She should be seen as the girl she was when her face split into a smile or when she laughed over a dumb joke Kara made. 

Kara gets up determinedly, laying the body gracefully down in the long grass. She picks up flowers that grow by a few trees in the forest, putting them together in a makeshift bouquet before placing them in Nia’s hands, over the wound on her chest. She then takes the small white daisies that represent all that was Nia, small, shiny, and bright, and weaves them through Nia’s hair. 

Once Kara is done, she looks back over the scene. Nia lays in the grass, flowers scattered around her with a bouquet covering her center. Daisies fill her hair, standing out starkly against the dark brown color that mops her head. If Kara tries hard enough, she can almost pretend like Nia is sleeping. Peacefully dreaming until Kara shakes her awake so they can go gather food for dinner. 

Kara is pulled out of her reverie when she feels the hovercraft shift the wind, crane coming down to pick up the body. She kneels down, placing a soft delicate kiss to her friend's forehead, the one she was supposed to protect. Kara stands up from her position, looking one last time at the small girl, before turning around and leaving the scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so *lets out breath* I'm sorry. That was-. I'm a complete Nia AND Nicole stan so this was too hard to write. I knew this was gonna happen from the beginning and I even tagged it when I started writing the fic so...I'm sorry. Just plain and simple. 
> 
> For the next chapter, there is gonna be a part that is outside of the arena, but it's not a back home chapter. I really really hope that I will be able to post tomorrow, because I have not missed a day yet. But I do have a lot going on, so there is a small chance that I won't be able to post. Sorry in advance if that is the case. 
> 
> I just deeply want to express my gratitude for all those that are still here with this fic, sill reading, still commenting. Thank you so much for everything! It really means the world to me and I hope I can deliver on the rest of the fic. 
> 
> I truly hope that you guys are staying healthy during these hard and uncertain times. They are stressful and annoying and really just make you angry, but we have to try and rise above it together. Please stay safe and healthy! Hope you're havin a great day, night, morning, and life!


	25. What do you suggest?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HAD TIME TO POST! Also, it took some thinking, but I made the head gamemmaker Morgan Edge. I hope you guys like that decision. Sorry, this chapter is a little shorter, but I think many chapters from here on out are longer so...that's good. Enjoy!

Snapper stalks out of the room, pushing back his seat with force. He slams the door shut behind him as he walks down the corridor of the Tribute Center. 

Snapper makes his way towards the control room, banging on the door aggressively when he gets to its entrance. 

“Morgan Edge!” Snapper exclaims. “I need to speak to Morgan Edge!” 

The door doesn’t open, Snapper pulling back with a huff. He decides to knock again. 

“I said, I need to speak to-” he’s cut off as the door opens abruptly. 

Out walks the Head Gamemaker, Morgan Edge himself, in a slick navy suit. The man looks Snapper over, glazing over his figure. His look holds a sort of arrogance, pity on the person that is Snapper. 

“You have no right to come here, and demand my presence,” he says, voice strict as if he gives Snapper no room to argue. 

“I think you want to hear what I have to say,” Snapper says. 

“I have no reason to listen,” he spits out incredulously, as if Snapper is some bug that has tried to infest his house. 

“I can help you.”

“There is no possible reason why, especially with a mind of yours, that could give us any help in the slightest,” he says, beginning to turn back into the room. Snapper grabs his arm, eliciting Morgan to look back at the man. 

“You have people out there who are sad, distraught, but most importantly, angry. They just watched this innocent 12 year old girl get impaled by a spear. They watched her die with many years left to live-” Snapper explains. 

“That happens every year,” Morgan interjects. 

“Yes it does. But every year, you don’t get the bond that young girl had with my tribute. Every year you pick these children by the hand and send them into an arena as a show. These kids aren’t humans to you, they’re characters who are there for your enjoyment. You root for one, they die, the people cry, it’s sick. You don’t see them as human, instead as pawns in a game. Yes, you do it for control, but control is fragile, you should know that especially,” Snapper explains. “This year was different and you know it. You also know that these people are furious and if you don’t cool them down, something catastrophic could happen,” Snapper reasons. 

“Nothing will happen.”

“I wouldn’t be so confident Morgan,” Snapper warns. 

They stand in silence, the lone corridor of the Tribute Center stretching out on either side of them. The man in front of Snapper ponders his words, his eyes moving back and forth, examining the man. 

He then lets out a breath, raising an eyebrow as he speaks. 

“What do you suggest?”

________________________________________

After endless minutes of mindless walking, Kara finds her way back to Nia and her old camp. Just last night, they sat around the logs occupying the ground, sharing details of their lives. Just last night, they slept comfortably in the tree hanging above Kara’s head. Just last night, Nia had snuggled into her like a koala, holding Kara tight as if it was the only thing that could lull her to sleep. 

Kara thinks about the slight smile Nia took while asleep. Nia when she was awake was always joyful, sometimes shy but usually had a smile on her face. But there was always a sense of pain there, always a sense of realization that even though this girl seemed so innocent, so pure, she still knew what was going on. Still knew the dangers and threats of the world around her.

Kara hits her breaking point as her mind thinks about all that is Nia, collapsing to the ground, sobs overtaking her body once more. Tears cascade down her face as her body wracks with sobs. She crawls towards an overhanging branch, hiding her body from sight and curls in on herself.

Her head throbs, memories flashing through her mind. Not just of the past day, the past weeks, but of her life. 

Why did the world have to be this way? Why did the Capitol have to be so ruthless, treacherous to send innocent people, children, into a place like this. 

Kara cries harder, painfully rubbing at her eyes, trying to quiet down. 

She stays under the branch for hours, whimpering on the ground. Eventually night falls, casting her into complete darkness. That night, the sky shines bright with Gayle’s image accompanied by Nia’s, marking their deaths. Even in photo, Nia shined bright, her innocence embodied by the smoothness of her face. No worn down lines showing years of stress, just creases at the side of her mouth. Smile lines that define all that was Nia. 

Kara stares at the sky, even after their images are gone, faded. At some point, her eyes become heavy, fluttering closed. 

She doesn’t know how she falls asleep that night, pain and emotions moving through her like a hurricane. It's just her body is heavily exhausted, the long day keeping her in a deep sleep. 

Something startles her awake, shooting up from her lying position. A horn echoes throughout the arena. Not just any horn, but the noise that signals a special announcement. 

She rubs her eyes, wiping the sleep out of them. She looks around, trying to bring her focus back to the world. The sun has just risen, light shining bright over the trees.

“Tributes, tributes. I have an announcement. There seems to be a rule change. Originally, the rules required a single victor. This idea has been altered. Two tributes shall be crowned victor if they both come from the same district. I hope you receive this news well. Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor.”

And with that, the sound cuts out, announcement coming to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *GASP*
> 
> Cliffhanger. Again. 
> 
> Also, did ya see I did *GASP* instead of DUN DUN DUN! Are ya proud? Yep, you're proud. 
> 
> Ok, I'm writing these notes quick because I really want to post earlier. I have two tests tomorrow and one on Thursday, but I feel pretty prepared so wish me luck. 
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter and I hope you guys are staying healthy!


	26. They always come back to each other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What you all have been waiting for! 
> 
> Enjoy :)

“Two tributes shall be crowned victor if they both come from the same district.”

The sentence repeats in Kara’s head. It replays, the voice of the announcer consistently repeating the words in her mind. His voice is delicate, the cadence he used with each word as he announced the information that would change the entire games, smooth. 

Her legs are laid out in front of her as her back is against a giant tree stump. She stares ahead, mulling over the man’s words. 

Over and over the sentence echoes, starting at the beginning and then fading out when reaching the final words. 

Two tributes. Two tributes could win the Hunger Games. Two tributes could survive, could live. They just had to be from the same district. Same district?

Lena.

LENA!

Kara gets up quickly, grabbing her bow and slinging her sheath of arrows around her shoulder. She needs to get a head start. She needs to find Lena.

Lena, Lena, Lena, pumps through her head before her thinking can catch up.

Pausing to gather her bearings, Kara asks herself an important question. Where is Lena? In the vast forest of the arena there are endless miles of land, endless places that Lena could be. But where?

With the question still in mind, Kara remembers what Nia had told her while they ate dinner just two nights ago.

“I’m pretty sure she’s down by the river.”

Without second thought, Kara moves her body into a sprint. The river is one of the few bodies of water that is actually in the arena. There are a few streams and there is a lake near the Cornucopia, but there is only one main river. Kara had passed it a few times when she was hunting, never really giving it a second thought. 

Trees fly past her, wind running off the sides of her face. Her hair flows through the wind behind her. It must have come out of its ponytail the night before when she fell asleep. 

As she runs, questions consume her mind. Is Lena still near the river? Is she hurt? Or even worse, is she dead? Kara’s chest constricts at the thought. 

Over the past few nights, Kara fell asleep with reassurance that Lena’s picture wasn’t in the sky. With reassurance that Lena was still living, still breathing. 

Kara runs, runs, runs. Faster, faster, faster. 

Her thoughts come to a halt when she nears the river bank, breaking out of the forest’s edge. The water is extremely high, rushing. Kara surveys the area around her. Down near the end of the river on her left are large boulders, water bouncing off of them like a tidal wave. Kara decides to turn right instead of left, walking upstream. If Lena was injured, she wouldn’t be going anywhere near the large rocks.

Kara starts to make her way upstream, checking for any signs Lena. Her head whips around frantically, praying that she can catch a hint, any hint of where she might be. As she looks around, she sees light reflect off a bright red smudge on the rocky ground. Leaning down to examine the substance, Kara can tell what it is right away. 

Blood.

She brings her fingers down to the substance, rubbing against it. The blood is dry, indicating that a good bit of time has passed since it hit the surface, but with the way Nia had described the scene that must have injured Lena, she couldn’t have made it far. Kara looks up from the ground, determined. She walks more upstream, looking for any more blood spots. 

She finds two, one on a leaf just right of the stream and one large blood stain on the rocky floor. The land seems to cut off after the last main blood spot, turning into grass and moss. As she creeps her way forward, looking for signs of Lena, she hears a small groan.

Kara stops dead in her tracks, searching around. She whips her head from side to side, frantically looking for any signs of movement. 

“Lena?” she whispers, questionly. “Is that you?”

After a few moments of silence, someone speaks. 

“Look down.”

Kara looks towards her feet. All she sees is moss and some worn rock.

“Lena?” Kara asks. 

Kara continues to search the ground, looking for any signs of a body. That’s when she sees them. Two piercing green eyes staring at her from the ground. 

“Lena!” Kara exclaims, now kneeling down quickly, frantically searching for the rest of her. 

The moss was a covering Lena had put on her body. She looks to have covered her face with a mixture of berries and grounded leafs to blend her in with the rocks. 

Camouflage. 

If Lena hadn’t opened her eyes, Kara never would have found her. 

Lena is in a sitting position at this point, leaning back on her elbows, legs still covered by grass. Kara gets into a sitting position next to the girl, pulling her into a bone crushing hug. She cradles Lena’s head to her chest with her hand.

“I thought I had lost you,” Kara whispers, tears starting to well up in her eyes. She slowly starts to rock themselves back and forth. 

Lena wraps her arms around Kara as tight as she can. Her arms are light around the blonde, not much strength to show for. 

“Sssshhh. Kara it’s okay. I’m here,” Lena whispers. 

She stops abruptly when she feels Lena’s body twitch in pain. 

“Oh my God! Are you hurt? Where are you hurt?” Kara says, pulling back and starting to examine Lena. 

“Slow down Kara,” Lena begins. “Leslie got me on the leg. It was her sword. The grass is covering it,” Lena answers, pointing towards her leg. 

Kara quickly removes the grass, trying to get a better look at the wound. She gasps when Lena’s leg becomes visible. All along her right thigh is a large slash. It looks deep, Leslie probably getting a couple of swings in before she passed out from the tracker jacker stings. The gash looks to be infected. The skin surrounding the cut is extremely red and agitated. Lena has probably been laying by the river for the past few days just trying to survive. 

“It’s okay. We’re, um, we’re gonna figure it out,” Kara says more to herself rather than Lena, still looking down at the wound. 

There is a lull in conversation, Kara trying to gather her thoughts. Lena juts in, knowing not to get her hopes up. 

“Kara I know it’s bad-“ Lena starts.

“No, no it’s okay. We’ll be okay. I’ll get you cleaned up and then we’ll find some shelter,” Kara says, nodding her head along with her thinking. The girl pauses, looking back upwards. She meets Lena’s eyes, bringing her hand up to cup the girl’s cheek. Lena leans into the touch, the only comfort she has felt in days. 

“I’m just-” Kara lets out a watery chuckle. She stares into Lena's eyes, nothing but thankfulness written on her face. 

“I’m just so happy I found you,” Kara says, a small tear rolling down her cheek. Kara then leans forward, kissing Lena’s forehead. The weak girl’s eyes flutter shut at the touch. 

The touch of Kara’s lips lingers, Kara trying to express as much emotion as she possibly can. 

The utter turmoil of the last few days, the constant worrying and rampant mind. The overflowing love that rushes through Kara every night before she lets sleep take her, thinking about where Lena is, if she's okay. 

Love. 

The word sticks in her mind, thinking of how easy it was for her mind to conjure it up. She loves Lena. Kara is in love with Lena. 

Kara pulls back, stroking the raventte’s cheek. The realization flows through Kara’s head, but there’s no panic. There is just a complete and utter feeling of wholeness. 

Kara takes in a deep breath, releasing it to calm her mind.

“Now, let’s get you cleaned up!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NCMNKNCLKSNDCKLNDKJJKVSDNLN
> 
> I love these two too much! They are too cute, too amazing, too perfect. Also, did Kara say love? I think she said love. 
> 
> Ok, keep in mind that there are many things in past chapters that will come back in future chapters. Just like the lullaby Kara humed to Lena that night in the Capitol came back during the death scene with Nia. Stuff will come back. 
> 
> Now, I'm also starting to post earlier in the night because I noticed on week days, the later you post, the less likely people will see it because of school starting and times of people going to bed changing, unlike the weekends where if you post at 11:00 p.m. you still get average hits. So that's why my chapters are getting updated a little earlier. 
> 
> I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter because personally, I did. I hope you're staying healthy and having a good day, morning, night, and life!


	27. Comforting Kara

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Babies

Kara takes off Lena’s jacket first, wiggling her arms out of the sleeves. She dips it in the river water, trying to clean the material. 

Lena watches her movements carefully, watching the work of her hands and the crinkle she gets in between her eyebrows as she rubs out all the blood, dirt, and sweat. 

The blonde pulls the jacket out of the water, walking back towards Lena as she lays it on a rock to dry. What she has to do next makes her a little sheepish.

“Uh, um Lena?” she asks. 

Lena hums in acknowledgement, staring up at the sheepish looking blue eyes of the girl in front of her. She’s hit with a wave of warmth when she sees Kara bite down on her bottom lip, seeming shy. 

“I kinda need you to, um,” Kara clears her throat. “I kinda need you to take your pants off so I can, you know, clean them,” she says, shyly gesturing towards the river. 

“Kara Danvers! Buy a girl some dinner first,” Lena teases, devilish smirk on her face. 

Kara’s face becomes even redder, her head snapping down to look at her feet.

“I was just teasing Kara. Here, it’s quite difficult for me to get out of them myself. Can you help please?” Lena asks.

“Yeah, yeah! Uh, of course!” Kara says, walking back towards Lena and kneeling in front of her. 

Carefully maneuvering Lena’s pants around the slash on her leg, Kara slides them off, standing up quickly to go wash them.

Looking closer at the clothing, the pants are stained in blood. Dirt and grass stains cover the material basically camouflaging itself. 

After running the pants through the water, Kara again, leaves the material out to dry. She then makes her way over to Lena, kneeling back down in front of her and pulling out her backpack. 

“Ok. I’ve got plenty of stuff in my backpack that can help us. You look like you have some slight burn marks. Don’t worry, I have medicine that should sooth them. I also have a first aid kit to clean up your cuts so that they don’t get any worse. Finally, I’ll clean up your leg and wrap it in gauze. Hopefully, the gauze will stop extra bacteria from entering the wound and it gets better overtime,” Kara explains, rummaging through her backpack. “Firstly, let’s get you into the water so you can wash off. You’re probably covered in sweat, dirt, and I don’t know what else. Is that okay?” Kara asks, looking up to meet Lena’s eyes.

“Yeah that sounds nice,” Lena says. “Could you help me up please?”

“Of course,” Kara says, draping Lena’s arm around her shoulder to bring her over to the water. The girl is only in a stained white t-shirt and underwear now, being stripped of the rest of her clothes. 

Kara lays her down in the water gently, the river being more calm near the top where it starts. 

“Do you mind if I try to clean the blood off your leg?” Kara asks, not wanting to make Lena uncomfortable.

“No, sure it’s fine. I don’t mind,” Lena answers. 

With a determined nod of the head, Kara tries to delicately rub the blood off Lena’s leg. She grazes her palm along the skin, cleaning up the area while not agitating the wound further. With every touch, every graze of Kara’s hand, heat rises up Lena’s leg and settles in her chest. She tries to move her head to the side to hide her rosy cheeks. 

Kara's feels so many emotions rushing through her as she tries to clean Lena's leg. Love of the girl before her, pain at seeing her in turmoil, fear at what comes for the future because of this injury. She tries to distract herself, focusing on the task at hand. 

Eventually, the skin is null of blood, at least the old blood that had dried on her leg. New blood seems to be seeping out of the wound, but not as persistent as before. 

Kara eventually moves up to Lena’s torso, washing the dirt and dried blood from old cuts off of Lena’s arms. Lena stares adoringly at Kara. Watches her movements as her hands glide up and down her arms, washing away all that once stained them. 

At some point, Kara moves to her face. She eases Lena’s head down into the water, wetting her raven hair. Kara rakes her hands through Lena’s hair, trying to get all the little tangles out that occupy it. Her movements are filled with care. She doesn’t brush too hard making sure not to hurt Lena, but just hard enough to smooth it out. 

She cups Lena’s cheeks, rubbing her thumbs along the skin to wash away the camouflage of now dead leaves and berry juice. The remnants run off the sides of Lena’s face, eventually leaving her complexion as clear as it can be. 

Once finished, Kara tucks a strand of Lena’s hair behind her ear that had fallen loose.

“There you are,” Kara says with a bright smile as she cups Lena’s cheek. Lena relishes in the contact, sinking deeper into the feeling. 

After a few moments of peace, Kara speaks.

“Now, let's go back to my backpack. I’ll put some burn medicine on your small marks and then I’ll wrap up your leg in fresh gauze. After that, we’ll get your clean clothes back on and find some shelter. Sound good?” Kara asks.

Lena nods her head, extending her arm out to put over Kara’s shoulder. Kara helps her out of the water, bringing her back over to where she first found her.

She applies some medicine to Lena’s burns. Then she takes out some anti-bacterial cream from her med kit, rubbing it on Lena’s wound. Lena winces, pain shooting up her leg. 

“I’m sorry,” Kara says, pulling her hand back after rubbing the cream on.

“No, no it’s okay. The cream should help in the long run,” Lena reassures. 

Kara then takes out the role of gauze. She lifts Lena’s leg, wrapping the gauze as securely as she can around Lena’s thigh. Once that’s taken care of, Kara grabs Lena’s clothes that have dried. She shimmies her pants on, as carefully as she can making sure not to aggravate Lena’s wound. Then she helps Lena into her jacket, zipping it up once it’s securely around her arms. 

“Is that better?” Kara asks.

“Yes, thank you,” Lena says with a small smile. 

“We should go find some shelter for the night. I saw some big boulders downstream that I think make a small cave. That’s probably our best option considering we can’t sleep in a tree with your leg,” Kara says, gesturing towards the injured limb.

“Okay. That sounds like a good plan,” Lena says with a solid nod of the head.

They seem to pause, neither speaking. Kara ponders the situation, trying to come up with an idea. 

“I know you can’t walk very well and I don’t want you to hurt your leg any more, but I think I have a solution. Here, get on my back. I’ll carry you,” Kara says, patting her shoulders. 

“Kara I don’t think that’s-“ Lena starts. 

“It will be fine Lena. I could carry two of you if I wanted to,” Kara says, flexing her arms for extra effect. 

Somehow Kara seems to stay light and energetic, even in a situation like this. Lena shakes her head with a small chuckle. 

“Okay then,” Lena says, extending her arm.

Kara takes her arm and pulls her up from the ground. She pulls Lena onto her back, making sure to secure her legs, watching where she places her hand on Lena’s injured leg. 

“Hold on tight,” Kara says, looking back towards Lena, whose head is placed on her shoulder.

Kara starts to walk downstream, carrying Lena like it was nothing. Once reaching the rocks, Kara sees a small opening in between two big boulders. She sets Lena down, asking her to crawl inside the gap between the rocks.

“I’m going to go back and get our weapons and supplies. You stay here. I’ll be back soon,” Kara says, walking back upstream. 

To Lena’s surprise, Kara is back within three minutes, crawling through the small space in the rocks with her backpack and bow.

“Are you hungry?” she asks, sitting down crossed legged on the ground.

“Not really,” Lena says.

“You should eat. It might help,” Kara responds. 

Lena nods her head along, understanding where Kara is coming from. 

Kara pulls out some left over bird from a few days before. It’s already cooked, not needing any reheating. Kara hands over a wing to Lena and some herbs she picked.

They eat in silence, sharing glances here and there. By the time they’re done with their food, the sun is setting. Lena extends her arms over her head yawning. 

“You should get some sleep. It will help boost your energy. I have a sleeping bag that you can curl up into. Don’t worry, I’ll keep watch,” Kara says, pulling out her sleeping bag from her backpack and holding it out in Lena’s direction.

“Kara, you need to sleep too. Can you at least wake me up in a few hours so I can keep watch as well? Maybe give you a break,” Lena compromises. 

“Okay,” Kara answers. 

“You promise to wake me up?” Lena questions warily.

Kara gives her a small smile, holding out her pinkie towards Lena.

“Better yet! I pinkie-promise!” Kara says triumphantly, big bright smile on her face. 

“Oh my God. You’re such a dork,” Lena says, wrapping her pinkie around Kara’s.

When Lena tries to pull her hand away, Kara grabs it and places a delicate kiss to the top.

“Get some sleep for me okay?” Kara says with adoring eyes, looking back up towards Lena. “Please.”

“Okay,” Lena responds softly, a feeling of warmth spreading through her at the genuine concern Kara pocesses over her well-being. 

And with that, Lena slides under the sleeping bag, succumbing to the exhaustion that has been creeping in her bones for hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love them. Like, love them. They are so cute, and in love and amazing. 
> 
> Guys, I have this weird talent where I seriously never cry. At some of my darkest points I didn't even cry. My friends get mad at me because they say crying is healthy and weirdly, today I finally cried after 7 months. They're so proud of me. 
> 
> I hope you guys are liking the story! If you would like to, comment any thoughts or suggestions that you may have that you would like to see. Hope you're staying healthy and having a good day!


	28. Confessions

Lena awakes with a jolt. Her chest is heaving, breathless. She searches around, head whipping from side to side.

“Lena, Lena, Lena. Ssssshhhh. It’s okay, you’re okay,” Kara says, quickly scooting over and pulling Lena into a tight embrace.

Kara feels tears start to soak her jacket as she runs her hand through Lena’s hair. Lena sobs into her chest, breath getting caught every once in a while.

“It’s you? You’re here Kara?” Lena asks into Kara’s chest, voice cracking near the end.

“I’m here. I’m here. It’s okay. We’re okay,” Kara reassures, cradling Lena to her chest. 

They stay in that position until Lena’s tears subside. Eventually, Lena whispers now into Kara’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I thought I had lost you.”

Kara pulls her back at arms length, still gripping her shoulders. 

“You don’t ever have to be sorry for having a bad dream Lena. We all have bad dreams. And don’t worry, it wasn’t real. I’m here,” Kara consoles.

“Back home whenever I had bad dreams, my step mother would just tell me to be quiet and shut up or she wouldn’t feed me the next day,” Lena says, looking down, not wanting to meet Kara’s eye.

“Oh Lena,” Kara says, taking Lena in her arms once more. “You never have to be afraid with me. I will always be here for you whether you have a bad dream or you just want to tell me about your day, I’m here. Remember that,” Kara pleads. 

Kara feels Lena nod her head against her shoulder. When Lena’s forehead grazes Kara’s neck, that’s when she feels the searing heat.

“Oh my God, Lena!” Kara says, pulling her back.

Kara raises the back of her hand to Lena’s forehead. It’s met with a fiery heat, making the back of her hand sweat.

“You’re burning up!” Kara exclaims, frazzled. 

“I’m, I’m sure it will be o-okay,” Lena stammers, now shaking from the cold.

“Let me check the gauze around your leg,” Kara demands, practically dragging Lena out of the sleeping bag. 

As Kara expected, the wound has bled through the gauze. The blood looks unnaturally dark, the skin around the gash looking greatly agitated. 

“The infection must have gotten worse overnight. How are you feeling?” Kara asks, needing answers to assess the situation. 

“Co-cold,” Lena stutters. “And nauseous.”

Lena looks paler than she has ever been. Even after hours of sleep, there are still prominent dark circles under her eyes. 

“Here. I’ll rewrap your leg in some fresh gauze, then you get back under the sleeping bag and sleep a few more hours. Hopefully it will break the fever. If not, we’ll figure something out,” Kara says with a hopeful smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. 

“Okay,” Lena responds, barely comprehending the words Kara had just said due to the blurriness of her eyesight and the exhaustion that still overtakes her body.

After Kara takes off the used gauze and replaces it with fresh material, she tucks Lena back into the sleeping bag.

She moves to pull away, but Lena catches her hand. 

“Kara, can you p-please stay with me. Just so I k-know you’re here?” Lena asks in a small voice. Her eyes are filled with hope, but obviously held back just in case Kara says no, in case Kara hurts her. 

“Of course,” the blonde answers with a soft smile. 

She slides into the sleeping bag with Lena, pulling the smaller girl close. Kara is overwhelmingly warm with Lena’s feverish body pressed against hers, but she doesn’t care, holding the girl close until she feels the ravenette’s breathing even out, sleep pulling her down. 

____________________________________

Lena is awoken by the sound of a horn. It blares, bouncing off the walls of the cave. The sound shakes through her head, worsening her pounding headache. She doesn’t realize what’s happening until words begin to ring out throughout the arena.

“Attention tributes attention! Tomorrow is an important day. At sunrise, we will be hosting a feast where the games began. Forget all that you think you know about past feasts. Just like this year is special, this feast will also be special. Each of you needs something and this feast will provide that for you. Knowing you’ll need them, may the odds be ever in your favor,” the man finishes. 

Closing the statement with the classic Capitol phrase, the announcement ends. Lena’s mind is still foggy from the fever, but she knows what comes next.

The person holding her loosens their grip, sliding out of the sleeping bag quickly. 

“Your medicine. That’s what we need and I’m going to get it,” Kara says, grabbing her bow and packing up to leave. She opens up her backpack, pulling out goods to leave behind for Lena. 

“Kara, stop. You can’t. I don’t want to risk you getting hurt. It’s going to be dangerous. Siobhan, Leslie, and God knows who are going to be there. You can’t go,” Lena pleads.

“I can and I will. Lena, the infection in your leg is getting worse. Your fever is not breaking. At this point, I know that rest and fresh gauze won’t save you. I can’t lose you Lena and this is the only way to keep you alive,” Kara says with ferocity, decision already made. She can’t let Lena die and she’s faced the fact that if she doesn’t do something and do something fast, Lena will be gone, lost to the world like the other late tributes. 

“I don’t care about me Kara. All that matters is that you’re safe. I need to protect you and if you go out there, I’ll crawl after you myself,” Lena threatens, staying adamant in her belief. It takes all her strength to keep a straight face, to not shake from pain. 

“Don’t you get it!” Kara exclaims, hands thrown about. She walks over towards Lena, kneeling down in front of the sickly girl. At this point, Kara is mere inches from Lena, face to face. 

Kara stares at her, frustrated until her face softens. 

“Remember back at the Capitol when I asked you what your dream was?” Kara asks, bringing her hand up to cup Lena’s cheek. 

Lena knows it’s a rhetorical question so she just nods her head softly. 

“Well, I’m going to go get your medicine and when I get back, you will be healthy. Then, we’re gonna go out there and win these games. And when we get back home, I’m going to build you that house you imagined. It’s gonna be made out of brick and I’m going to paint the front door green. Not the type of green that is as bright as your eyes, but a more pale looking green. The house will look over the valley where you and I will watch the beautiful sunset together. I’ll wrap my arm around your shoulder and tuck you close to my side. Then one day, you and I are going to adopt two beautiful children from the orphanage who lost their parents just like us. We are gonna make sure they are well-fed and happy and they’re gonna run through the fields near our house. And finally, when you lean on the doorframe looking out on the beautiful life we had built together, I’m going to come up from behind you, wrap my arms around you, kiss you on the side of the head and tell you that I love you. Because Lena Luthor, I truly do love you,” Kara says, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Kara leans in, nose brushing Lena’s. Her and Lena are basically breathing the same air, before Kara closes the minuscule gap between them. She brushes her lips against Lena's, until the girl in front of her pushes forward, deepening the kiss. Their lips mold together, Kara bringing her other hand up to cup Lena’s cheeks. 

No matter how many times Kara imagined kissing Lena, it never lived up to what she was experiencing now. Her body is on fire, encompassing her whole being. From her toes to the ends of her fingertips, she feels her nerve endings searing.

Kara pulls back slowly, staring adoringly into Lena’s eyes. She wipes at the tear cascading down Lena’s cheek, just over her cheekbone. 

“You can’t go,” Lena says, demand strong in her voice even though Kara hears it slightly waver. 

Kara let’s out a muffled sob.

“Lena please-“ Kara starts.

“Just stay with me. Please,” Lena pleads.

Kara pauses, mulling over what to do. Eventually, she nods her head and lays down on Lena’s chest. Lena runs her hand through Kara’s hair, eyes fluttering closed as the fever makes her even more exhausted. Her body slightly twitches every once in a while, infection worsening with time. 

They stay in their position on the cave floor for hours. Kara waits until Lena fully falls asleep. When the moment is right, she slowly slides out of Lena’s arms, making sure not to wake her up. 

Quietly moving around the cave, Kara picks up her bow that was leaning against the rock wall and slings her sheath of arrows onto her shoulder. She takes one last look around, gaze lingering on Lena’s sleeping form on the ground.

“I love you Lena,” Kara whispers into the cave, before slipping through the space between the two rocks, out into the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just gonna leave this chapter here and see what you guys think.
> 
> Hope you are happy and healthy!


	29. A Break; Back Home Pt. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok people said they wanted another back home chapter. IM HERE AT YOUR COMMAND!
> 
> I'm sorry. This chapter is short and not my best work. I was super overwhelmed and wasn't planning on writing this chapter until like an hour ago and it's getting close to my deadline to post. So i'm sorry. I'll rewrite it if you guys want. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy anyway!

“Now wrap the rope around two more times and pull it tight,” Alex explains, watching over Maggie’s shoulder. 

Maggie kneels, crouched down on the forest floor as she struggles to recreate Alex’s trap. 

Her hair falls loose in their dark locks, brushing inches past her shoulders. She wears worn down cargo pants, black boots clashing well with the color. Maggie’s face is drawn together as she tries to finish the knot, but instead the material falls apart. 

She lets out a frustrated huff, causing Alex to chuckle. 

“What? Found something you couldn’t do Sawyer?” Alex teases. 

“Shut up Danvers,” she huffs, trying to work her hands again. 

Alex watches the scene, filled with love at the thought that Maggie would trek all the way out here just for her. That Maggie would do anything, anything to make her feel better. The girl had dragged Alex off the couch, stopping her brooding. "It would be fun," she had said. "You wanted to teach me anyways," Maggie had explained her reasoning. 

Alex kneels down beside her, placing her hands on the girl’s. 

“Your hands aren’t nimble enough,” Alex explains, moving Maggie’s hands in the proper way. 

“I’ve never heard you complain about my hands before,” Maggie smirks.

Alex smacks her on the arm, getting red faced. 

“What! It’s true.”

Alex wraps her arms around the smaller girl’s torso, basically tackling her. They roll around, both girls laughing until Maggie asserts dominance, pinning Alex on her back. 

Maggie might be small but she sure is fiesty. 

“Did you really think you would win that fight?” Maggie teases, grinning down at Alex. 

“Maybe I didn’t want to,” Alex whispers, leaning up and onto her elbows. 

Maggie ducks her head, meeting Alex halfway. Hands tangle in red hair as Alex grasps at Maggie’s lower back. The shirt rides up slightly, Alex rubbing her thumb along Maggie’s hip. It sends shivers up Maggie’s spine. 

The kisses they share aren’t as heated as you would expect, slowing down over time. They’re filled with love, compassion, and promises. 

Maggie moves her hands away from Alex’s hair, cupping the girl’s cheeks. She doesn’t realize that Alex is crying until a tear touches her thumb. 

Maggie pulls back slightly, resting her forehead on Alex’s. She keeps one hand on the side of Alex’s face, the other moving to the back of her neck, playing with the tiny hairs their. 

“It’s okay baby,” Maggie whispers, leaning down to kiss her nose. She then continues to kiss her cheek, her jaw, and finally her forehead. 

Alex lets out a few heavy breaths as her tears subside, her face still taught with emotion. 

Maggie wraps her arms around the girl, Alex hiding her face in the girl’s neck. She still pins the girl into the ground, but it’s not sexual. It’s comforting and warm, love surrounding them in the moment. 

“Thank you for today,” Alex muffles into the girl’s neck. 

She was holding it all in. Everything that was happening. Kara getting selected for the games. Her confession to Lena. The stress of Kara constantly running, hiding, fighting. 

Alex always kept it in, wanting to stay strong. Maggie assumed Alex was doing it for her mother. If Alex broke down, then Eliza would too. So she stayed strong. She tried not to show any emotion, usually keeping a blank stare. 

That’s when Maggie suggested coming to the woods. Maybe a day in a comfortable setting for Alex would help her open up, help her process all that was happening, better. 

“Of course,” Maggie says. She kisses the side of Alex’s head, stroking her short hair. “Anything for you.”

Maggie swings her leg off Alex, laying down next to her. She wraps her arm around the taller girl, resting her head on her chest. 

They stay wrapped up in each other for an undetermined amount of time. Maggie whispering reassurances to Alex as she finds comfort in Maggie’s touch. 

Eventually, the sun begins to set, mushing the sky with bright oranges and yellows. 

“We should go check the other traps. Don’t want to come back empty handed,” Alex says, patting Maggie's arm and getting up from her lying position. She holds her hand out to help Maggie up, the girl taking it instantly. Their hands stay linked as they walk through the forest, checking each and every trap. 

By the end, Alex holds a small rabbit by the neck as they walk back towards the fence surrounding District 12. 

Maggie ducks down, crawling under the fence as Alex follows her. Once on the other side, Alex wraps her arm around the smaller girl’s shoulders, pulling her tight against her side. 

They walk towards town together, waving at the locals who wave at them back.

As they approach the house, they see Winn running towards them. 

“Alex!” he exclaims, short of breath. 

The boy stops short in front of them, heaving as he places his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. 

“Just-,” he stops, taking in air. “Give me a sec.”

Winn stays in that position, calming down. 

Alex grows impatient, frustrated at Winn’s urgency to speak and then his stopping. 

“For Christ’s sake Winn! What is it?” Alex questions.

Winn gathers himself, standing up straight. He stares at Alex, speaking softly as if he doesn’t want to spook her. 

“She left the cave.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How you guys doin? These are tough times in many aspects of life so I hope this story can give you an out to just try and relax. Or not. Maybe this is just something fun for you to read. 
> 
> I hope you guys are doin well. Try to stay safe and healthy. Hope you're having a good morning, night, day, and trying for a good life!


	30. The Feast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BACK TO THE MAIN STORY!

Kara runs through the forest, branches grazing her arms and face as she sprints. It is still dark out, Kara leaving in the dead of night. She wants to make it to the feast before sunrise, giving herself time to get situated and plan her attack. 

The Cornucopia isn’t far, only taking Kara 15 minutes to run there. She knows the route well, traveling it a few times already. She makes it to her original hiding spot, the place where she had hid before blowing up the Careers’ goods. Before Nia had died. 

Kara’s expression turns somber, remembering the horrible event that just happened two days ago. The moment feels so far away, yet so close. Little precious Nia had died in her arms. The Nia who had the biggest brownest eyes that expressed innocence, that yearned for years of sights to be seen. As a tear starts to roll down Kara’s cheek, she knows one thing for sure. She’s not doing this just for Lena. She’s also doing this for Nia, the girl Kara promised to protect but couldn’t in the end. 

Kara lays on her stomach, surveying the land. She can’t see that well in the dark, so she waits. 

The sun starts to peak over the trees, illuminating the field just one hour later. Kara is prepared, ready for anything. She doesn’t see any other tributes, but she knows they are there, lurking at the outskirts of the forest as well, waiting to make a move. 

As the bottom of the sun fully comes into view over the trees, a voice echoes throughout the arena. 

“Welcome tributes. Welcome to our feast. I hope you are prepared for the lavish gifts we have to offer you,” the announcer drawls. “Enjoy.”

Once the announcement finishes, a hole opens up in the field. A table raises out from the ground, four bags occupying the top. The first one is bulky, a two emblazoned on the front. The next is large as well with a solid white five shining bright against the sun. After that is a similarly large bag with a stark 11 on it. Finally, the smallest of the bags, holds the item that Kara desires most, a white 12 plastered onto the black material of the bag holding it.

As Kara begins to creep out of her hiding spot, ready to sprint for her life, she sees a figure come out of the Cornucopia. 

Indigo.

The red head runs quickly to the table, grabbing her bag and then sprinting off into the forest. She must have been hiding in the Cornucopia since the announcement last night. 

Looking side to side to check for any other tributes, Kara breaks out into a run. The faster she can get to the medicine, the better. When she reaches the table, she grabs the bag quicker than humanly possible and runs towards the closest edge of forest. 

As she rounds the Cornucopia, she sees the glint of silver flying through the air. She instantly ducks, knife grazing her forehead, cutting it open instantly. 

Getting up from the barrel roll, Kara looks up. Siobhan runs towards her, aiming another knife at her chest. Kara loads her bow, firing off an arrow that just misses Siobhan’s sprinting form.

The girl tackles Kara, sending them into a skirmish. Blood drips down Kara’s forehead, Kara trying to wipe it away in the midst of the fight.

Siobhan somehow gets on top of Kara, pushing her foot down hard on Kara’s right wrist. One of her hands holds down Kara’s left arm as her other hand holds her knife.

Siobhan’s entire body weight is on Kara’s torso, rendering her unable to gain control of the situation. Siobhan stabs her knife down towards Kara’s head, the blonde moving it out of the way to avoid the blowing impact.

Siobhan basically growls in frustration, putting more pressure on Kara’s wrist.

“Where’s Lovergirl huh?” Siobhan taunts, angling her knife under Kara’s chin.

“I’m surprised she hasn’t died yet. Leslie got her good. What was she trying to do? Protect you?” Siobhan laughs, obvious malice in her tone. 

“She’s as good as dead. Just like that other girl we killed. The girl you were helping. What was her name again? Nia?” the District 2 tribute rhetorically asks.

Kara starts to struggle even more, grunting as she tries to get out of Siobhan’s hold.

Siobhan applies more pressure on the knife she holds towards Kara’s neck, stopping Kara’s struggling.

Kara loads up her mouth, forcing as much spit and blood she can to come and spray Siobhan’s face.

“Fuck you,” Kara chokes out, strained from exhaustion. 

Siobhan face puckers at the disgusting substance. 

“So the bubbly blonde swears now does she?” Siobhan questions, tilting her head to the side. “Well, that’s not gonna help you now. Where shall we start hmmm?” Siobhan asks, raising the knife that was threatening to cut Kara’s neck.

As the knife begins to come down, Kara closes her eyes, waiting for the painful blow to reach her face. But weirdly, it never comes. Instead the weight of Siobhan’s body seems to be lifted off Kara’s chest. She blinks her eyes open, assessing the scene.

“Did you kill her?!” Yvette shouts.

Yvette holds Siobhan’s body in the air against the Cornucopia. The smaller girl wriggles, trying to get out of Yvette’s grasp. The cocky grin from earlier is gone, replaced by complete and utter fear. 

“What no! No we didn’t-“ Siobhan exclaims.

“Liar! I heard you!” Yvette shouts, anger boiling over.

Kara can see Yvette’s hands tightening on the material of Siobhan’s jacket, rage coursing through her. 

“Leslie! Leslie help!” Siobhan screams. 

It’s too late to scream for help Siobhan soon realizes. Yvette pulls her body back, slamming her against the Cornucopia. Her body becomes lifeless after the third slam, Yvette dropping it onto the ground. A cannon sounds in the background.

Kara’s vision starts to become clouded as blood seeps over her eyelashes, Yvette’s figure stalks towards her.

“What did she mean about you helping Nia?” Yvette asks, anger still pulsing through her veins.

“Um, I’m, uh,” Kara stutters, trying to create a rational thought. Her mind is starting to fog due to the amount of blood loss. “Nia. We worked together to blow up the Careers’ food. I was with her when she died. I tried to save her, I, I really did. I’m sorry I couldn't,” Kara finishes.

Kara wipes her forehead, trying to wipe away some of the blood from her eyes.

Yvette stands in contemplation, angling her head to the side. Her breathing is heavy as her arms flex, hands coming into fists. 

“I won’t kill you, but just this time. For Nia,” Yvette utters. Kara can hear the sense of reverence Yvette uses when saying Nia’s name. She wonders if they knew each other back home before the games. 

"Now run before Leslie gets out here,” Yvette says.

With one final nod, Yvette runs towards the feast table, grabbing her bag and the District 2 bag, probably trying to lure Leslie towards her. 

Kara gets up quickly, sending a rush to her head. She almost falls instantly back down towards the ground. With the little common sense she has left, Kara runs toward the tree line. She doesn’t bother to see if Leslie follows her, knowing she will chase after Yvette. 

Once making it into the forest, Kara sprints back towards the cave. Blood gushes down her face, Kara not bothering to wipe it away. All she focuses on is the route in front of her and the bag of medicine secured around her arm. 

When Kara sees the familiar rocks near the river, she pushes forward with all the last strength she has left. She crawls through the small gap in between the boulders, basically throwing the bag onto the ground and opening it.

“Kara what the hell?!” Lena exclaims, trying to get up out of her sitting position. 

Kara can see the weakness in Lena’s bones as she struggles to get up, taking an extremely labored breath from the effort. Lena seems to panic when she sees Kara’s head wound. 

“Oh m-my God, you’re hurt,” Lena stammers. 

Kara continues to rummage through the bag in front of her, pulling out a syringe. She has nearly passed out from the amount of blood she’s lost when she quickly takes the cap off. 

Lena watches the scene with intense concern, still trying to get up. As she places her elbow underneath her, propping herself up, Kara pushes her shoulders back down. She plunges the syringe into the girl’s leg. Kara pushes down the pump, sending the medicine into Lena’s bloodstream.

After that, the world goes dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok kinda shook after writing that chapter, not gonna lie. 
> 
> Yvette is a legend. We stan. 
> 
> Lena be like "Kara don't go." And Kara leaves. Genius. These useless lesbians. 
> 
> Well I hope you liked this chapter. Keep living life like the legends you are!


	31. Cave Fluff Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok...so what did I say about fluff?

The pounding of the rain on the rock hard ceiling of the cave stirs Kara from her slumber. She doesn’t open her eyes, not wanting to break out of her peaceful bliss. She snuggles deep into the warm pillow she clings to like a koala. Warm pillow?

Kara cracks one eye open. Her head rests on someone’s chest, but who’s? Kara’s mind is still foggy from the blood loss. She doesn’t care who she’s laying on. They’re warm and comfortable, like a fluffy marshmallow. She shuts her eyes again, clinging tighter to this marshmallow. 

It reminds her of back home when Kara would have a bad dream. Alex would always sneak into her bed after hearing Kara’s whimpers, her screams. She would hold her in her arms, trying to calm her down. Trying to let her know that she was safe.

Kara burrows deeper into her warm marshmallow, opening her mouth to let a tiny yawn escape. She feels a hand running through her hair, soothing out the tangles. Her marshmallow lightly scratches her scalp, making her spine tingle.

“Mhm,” Kara hums.

The scratching stops, making Kara groan in frustration.

“Kara?” a voice rings out throughout the cave.

That voice sounds familiar. For some reason it sparks a warm feeling in Kara’s chest.

“Kara?” the voice questions again. 

This time the voice sparks a memory. Kara kneeling in front of someone, staring into their eyes. Who was that someone? What are they to her? 

Kara wracks her brain, until an image pops into her head. A face, a beautiful face. The person is naturally beautiful, high cheekbones with perfectly plump lips. As she searches for any recognition, that’s when she sees them. Piercing green eyes stare at her. 

Lena!

Kara jolts into an upright position, instantly regretting it as all the blood rushes to her head making her feel extremely light headed.

“Hey, hey, ssssshhhh. It’s just me. It’s Lena,” Lena consoles. “Let’s lay you back down. You lost a lot of blood earlier,” Lena says, easing Kara back onto her chest.

Kara nods, snuggling into the warm marshmallow that she has now discovered is Lena. 

“You really scared me earlier. I, um, do you remember what happened?” Lena asks. 

Kara goes through her memories, trying to sort them out. Most are a haze, the events of the feast blurred in her mind. She shakes her head no against Lena’s chest. 

“Well, you must have left while I was sleeping. I woke up at some point in the morning and reached out for you but you weren’t there. I instantly panicked, but was so weak, I, I couldn’t move. Couldn’t try to crawl out and find you,” Lena says. Her voice is taught with emotion as the past fear hits her again. 

Kara holds Lena tighter, trying to help her feel secure. Lean reigns in her emotions, trying to keep her composure. She takes a deep breath, continuing to speak. 

“You came back not long after I woke up. You were frantic, carrying a bag in your hand. Your head was gushing blood as you tried to take whatever it was out of the bag. Eventually I found out that it was the medicine. Your hands shook violently, probably from the blood loss. When I tried to reach out to help, you slammed me back into the ground and stuck the syringe in my leg. Right after that, you passed out. 

“I reacted as quickly as I could. Cleaned up the blood, stopped the bleeding from your gash. I put a bandage over it so that infection wouldn’t take over. I, uh, um-” Lena clears her throat trying to shake away her tears. “You really scared me,” Lena says, leaning down to kiss the top of Kara’s head. 

Kara pulls Lena ever so closer, head snuggled under her chin. After a few moments of silence, Kara whispers. 

“I’m sorry I scared you. But I’m not sorry I went. I would do it over and over again, no matter what, if it meant I could save you,” Kara says, now angling her head so her chin rests on Lena’s chest, looking up at the girl’s face. 

Lena stares back. Green stares into blue, clashing yet also mixing to create a perfect balance of color. She brings her hand up and starts to trace the features of Kara’s face. First her eyebrows, smoothing out the blonde hairs with the pad of her thumb. She grazes her forefingers over Kara’s eyelids, causing them to flutter shut. She traces her nose, going over the light freckles that occupy her skin. Finally, she cups Kara’s cheek, running her thumb over the girl’s lips. She traces their shape, running her thumb back and forth. 

When Lena stops her movements, Kara’s eyes flutter open. They stare at each other, both naturally leaning in. As they get closer, Kara lets Lena close the final distance. Lena angles her neck forward, closing the minuscule space that felt like miles. 

The kiss is long and slow. Their lips move together, pouring out all the emotion both feel towards one another that words can’t express. Lena brings her other hand up to Kara’s cheek, pulling the girl closer. She breaths the blonde in as their tongues fight for dominance. Eventually, everything slows, the motions of their lips coming to a stop. 

Kara pulls back smiling, both girls trying to catch their breath. 

“You’re really good at that,” Kara says, biting her lower lip to suppress the blinding smile on her face. 

“Am I now?” Lena blushes, flattered and excited at Kara’s thinking. 

Kara nods her head, leaning in for another kiss. This one is more chaste, quick, as Kara moves back down to lay her head on Lena’s chest. 

Lena starts to fun her fingers through Kara’s hair again, Kara's head a mop of blonde curls. As Lena’s fingers hit a small tangle in Kara’s hair, the blonde shoots up from Lena’s chest yet again. 

Kara’s hand instantly goes to her head, feeling lightheaded. 

“Jesus Kara! You have to stop doing that,” Lena startles. 

“Sorry sorry,” Kara apologizes. She seems to handle the upright position better than last time. “I just remembered something! How’s your leg?” Kara asks, going over to examine the limb.

The swelling has completely gone down, infection eradicated. All that’s left is a light red scar. It’s healed, looking to be able to fully function. Lena will most likely have a limp, but her life is threatened no more. 

“Lena! The infection is gone!” Kara exclaims, a blinding smile taking over her features. Tears start to well up in her eyes, knowing what this means. 

There are a few moments of silence, utter awe and hope on both girls’ faces. 

“We could go home,” Kara says, happy tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“We could go home,” Lena repeats, staring back at the blonde.

Kara wraps Lena up in a bone-crushing hug. She inhales all that is Lena. The scent of her hair, the feel of her neck against Kara’s cheek.

Lena brings her hand up to cradle Kara's head, taking in a sharp breath as everything hits her. 

Kara’s thoughts are cut off when she hears Lena mumble into her hair.

“I love you Kara.”

Kara pulls back, eyes crinkled at the sides as the smile from before comes back. She leans in, pressing her lips firmly to Lena’s. Hands tangle in raven colored hair. Lena smiles into the kiss, reveling in all that is Kara. 

As Lena pulls back, Kara shoots forward, peppering Lena’s entire face with kisses. Her last kiss lingers on Lena’s lips.

“I love you too, Lena.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY ARE FINALLY AWAKE AND CONSIOUS OF WHAT THEY'RE SAYING AT THE SAME TIME!
> 
> I really hope you liked this chapter because many were asking for fluff, so I hoped the fluff was enjoyable. More is to come. 
> 
> I had so much homework tonight because my Biology teacher is being mean, but I digress. 
> 
> I hope you are liking the story! Only 7 chapters left! Hope you're stayin healthy, jubilant, spectacular, brilliant, awesome, fantastic, and overall, happy!


	32. Cave Fluff Pt.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I was totally not planning on posting today. I wanted to skip a day and wait for tomorrow because I was really busy, but I owe it to you guys to post this chapter so, here ya go. 
> 
> I really hope you enjoy! It's a longer one!

“Beautiful,” Kara whispers as she stares up at Lena, head resting on the girl’s chest. 

She raises her right hand, starting to stroke Lena’s cheek. Lena’s eyes are closed, but she smiles, aware of Kara’s actions. She turns her head sideways, kissing Kara’s palm.

“I’ve got a question for you,” Kara says, head snuggling now into Lena’s neck. 

“And what’s that?” Lena asks, kissing the top of Kara’s head as her arms snake around Kara’s torso, pulling the blonde tight. 

Kara pauses, seeming unsure of asking now. Lena just holds her tighter, letting her know that it’s okay. That she can ask her anything. 

“When did you know you liked me?” Kara questions.

Lena pauses, hand resting on the blondes back. 

“New question,” Lena says, cheeks flushing red. 

“That’s not an option!” Kara says, giving Lena her full attention now. 

Lena puts her face in her hands, embarrassment evident. 

“Kaaaaaarrrrrraaaaa,” Lena draws out. 

“Fine, I’ll go first,” Kara says, getting up from laying on Lena’s chest and sitting in a criss-crossed position. “This is easy for me. It might be embarrassing to admit, but I’ve thought about this a lot,” Kara confesses. A slight smile on her face at the idea. “The first time I really noticed you was when we were in math class in 6th grade. I sat near the back of the room, sketching in my notebook. Meanwhile, you sat at the front, constantly engaged in the lesson. I wasn’t really paying attention to what was going on around me, until I heard you speak, voice confident even though it was usually tentative. My head shot up from where it was buried in my sketchbook. ‘Excuse me, Mr. Woodman. Your math is wrong sir’ you had corrected him, looking up at the chalkboard. The man was so embarrassed, bested by a 6th grader. Without realizing it, I had laughed extremely loudly. Apparently you heard me and turned around in your chair, looking back in my direction. That’s the first time I saw your eyes. At that moment, I knew I was a goner. You flashed me a small smile, then turned back around and continued with your work. Over the next few years, I crushed on you HARD. I wouldn’t call it pining. Well my sister called it creepily staring in your direction every chance I got,” Kara says. Lena laughs at that, big belly laugh.

“Hey! In my defense, I wasn’t sure if you liked me or not,” Kara defends, slapping Lena on the arm as the girl chuckles. Lena wipes tears from her eyes, trying to suppress her smile. 

“We were both oblivious,” Lena says wistfully, remembering the shy glances in the halls and the small waves. 

Kara takes this chance to change her position, now stradling the raven haired girl. 

“Thankfully, we aren’t anymore,” she says, leaning down to kiss the young woman. 

Lena smiles into the kiss, relishing in this moment of peace in the middle of a chaotic situation. 

Kara pulls back, draping her arms around Lena’s neck. She smiles down at the girl, piercing green eyes curiously examining Kara’ face. 

“You never answered my question,” Kara says, pushing the subject further. 

“What question?” Lena asks with fake innocence. 

“When did you know you liked me?” Kara asks again. 

Lena pauses, face stuck in concentration. Kara can tell she is pondering her answer. At some point, she brings up her hand to play with a lock of Kara’s hair, rolling it around in her fingers.

“You really want to know?” she asks, seeming anxious. 

Kara nods her head, bumping her forehead into Lena’s.

“It was a cold fall day, the leaves just starting to fall off the trees. That morning my mother had been yelling at me because I left a loaf of bread on the counter without putting it away. The bread went stale and we had to throw it out, so she screamed at me telling me I was worthless. Hit me right across the head, right here,” Lena says, pointing to her left temple. She seems to physically cringe at the memory. “I grabbed my bookbag, running out of the house. It was raining and I had forgotten my jacket. By the time I got to school, I was wet and cold, my head was throbbing and emotionally, I was about to spill over. Again my mother had screamed at me even though all I wanted to do was please her, all I wanted was for her to love me. So when I got to school, I ran to the bathroom and broke down. I locked myself behind a stall, sat down with my back to the door and sobbed. I rubbed the side of my head, trying to make the pain go away, but it never did. I almost didn’t hear the bathroom door open because my head was so foggy. The door slammed shut, getting my attention. I tried to wipe away my tears, making it seem like I was fine. But then I heard someone speak,” Lena pauses. “I heard you speak. You asked-” Lena gets cut off.

“‘Hey, are you okay in there?’” Kara repeats her words from the bathroom all those years ago, realization dawning on her as she remembers the event. 

“Exactly. You had asked me how I was with real sympathy, even though you didn’t know who I was. We shared a class together so I had seen you before. I could never forget your voice, the cadence it possessed. The way it starts off higher, more excited, but then drifts off at the end. Most don’t notice it, but it shows that even though you’ve been through so much pain, you are constantly trying to be there for others,” Lena whispers. 

Kara’s expression changes, shock from the realization that the girl crying in the bathroom was Lena. Not some random person from school, but Lena. Kara hadn’t even thought about that day for years. 

“‘No, no I’m okay,’ I had said trying to get you to go away. But instead you sat down on the ground with me, putting your back against the front of my stall door. ‘It’s okay. You don’t have to hide your feelings,’ you whispered. Then you put your hand under the stall so I could hold it. I don’t know how, but somehow you knew that if I just had someone’s hand to hold, someone there with me, then I would feel secure. I was hesitant, but eventually I took your hand, interlacing our fingers. You comforted me until my breathing evened out and my tears subsided. Eventually you left with one last stroke of my hand, telling me it was all going to be okay. ‘See ya stranger,” you joked, never knowing who I was. You were the only reason I smiled that day. Hell, you are the only reason I smile most days,” Lena says, bringing her hand up to play with Kara’s hair again. 

“Your dad said something similar,” Kara adds. 

“My dad?” Lena questions, confused at the mention of her father. 

“After our names were picked and we got to say goodbye to our loved ones, your dad visited me. He told me that I was the reason you smiled most days. He wanted to thank me for making his daughter happy so he promised to help my family if I didn’t make it out,” Kara says just above a whisper. Her eyes look down at the thought of not returning home to her family, not surviving. 

Lena puts her finger under Kara’s chin, eliciting the blonde to look up. Her eyes are watery, blue like the ocean shining with tears. 

“We’re going to make it home Kara. I promise you,” Lena says, not a sliver of doubt detected. 

Kara has no words, instead leaning down to kiss the girl, the one she comforted without knowledge, the one she gazed at longingly for years throughout math class, the one she loves. 

As Lena pulls back, Kara rests her head against the girl’s forehead. 

“I love you Lena,” she says, eyes fluttering closed. 

“I love you too,” Lena whispers. “So much.”

__________________________________

“We’re running low on food,” Kara says, searching through her backpack. “Now that your leg is healed, we should probably go hunt and gather. I have a feeling the gamemakers are bringing the games to a close.”

“What do you mean ‘bringing the games to a close?’” Lena questions.

“The nights have been getting colder, the water in the river is running low. Why? They’re trying to drive us somewhere, make us all meet up in one place. I can bet you that the pond near the Cornucopia is still filled with fresh water, while all the streams and the river have dried up. Whether we like it or not, the games will be over soon. We just have to come out on top,” Kara explains. 

“Let’s go hunt then,” Lena says with a small smile. 

They pack up their gear, Kara rolling up the sleeping bag and stuffing it in her pack. Kara applies a new bandage to her head wound, making sure to put on some anti-bacterial cream. She then grabs her bow in one hand, throwing her sheath of arrows over her shoulder. They crawl out of the small hole in the cave, leaving the place they knew as safety. 

The sun shines bright in the sky as they walk up the river, if you can still call it that. The riverbed is completely dried up, dry algae and dead fish lying out in the open. They reach the forest edge, making their way past trees and fallen leaves. 

Kara keeps her bow at the ready in case an animal scampers by. They walk and walk, no possible food appearing. Eventually Lena grows inpatient. 

“Kara I think this would work better if we split up. I’ll go gather some fruit and herbs, while you hunt. I don’t think my walking is helping either. Even though I’m not a hunter, I do know that I’m being extremely loud and possibly scaring the food away,” Lena reasons. 

“No, I don’t want you to leave my side. We’re stronger together,” Kara says, stopping to look at Lena. 

“I know, but I promise I won’t be far. We need food and splitting up will help us get it faster,” Lena explains. 

“Lena…” Kara doubts warily. 

“It will be okay. I promise,” Lena says. 

Kara considers her options, running them through her head. 

“Fine. But don’t stray far,” Kara says, pulling Lena into a hug. She kisses the side of her head before letting her go. 

“I want to see at least two fat squirrels by the time I come back! I didn’t boast about you to Snapper for nothing!” Lena exclaims with a cheeky smile, running backwards. 

“Anything for you princess,” Kara says with a bow. 

Kara hears Lena’s laughter drift off as she runs farther away. Eventually, Kara brings her attention back to the hunt, stalking forward through the woods. She kneels down, picking up some dead leaves. The leaves rest in her hand before she ruffles them together, looking at the wind direction. 

She comes out of her kneeling position, continuing to stalk forward. When she looks up at a large tree in front of her, she sees a small bird. Choosing not to miss her opportunity, she pulls the bowstring back, striking the bird down. It falls to the ground, now food for the picking.

A sense of calm washes over Kara. The same calm she always feels when hunting. It’s not only a survival skill, but a passion, a way of life. Every time her fingers graze the bow string or she lets out a breath right before she shoots, she feels the calm again, washing over her being. 

Once she picks up the bird, putting it into her backpack, she then stalks forward again, hoping to shoot at least one more animal. She hears a rustling in the leaves, possibly a squirrel. She pulls the string back aiming at the animal’s head as it pauses. As she sees the animal’s eyes glint in her direction, a powerful sound echoes throughout the arena. 

The boom of the canon. 

Kara shoots into the air, whipping her head around. The canon. The canon?! That can only mean one thing. 

“LENA!” she screams bloody murder, running towards the direction Lena left. 

She told her, she TOLD her that they should stick together, that Lena shouldn’t leave her side. 

“Lena where are you!” Kara shouts, sprinting through the forest, tears already starting to form in her eyes. 

Branches scratch her face as she bustles through them, carving a path through the forest. 

“LENA!” Kara screams again. She breaks through a collection of branches, crashing into a body. 

Kara is about to pull back an arrow when she sees the black hair. 

“Oh my God Lena!” Kara says, pulling her into a bone-crushing hug. Tears stream down her face as she pulls Lena inevitably closer. 

“I heard the ca-canon. I thought you were go-gone, I thought you were dead,” Kara stammers into Lena’s shoulder. 

Lena strokes the blonde curls, keeping Kara close. She’s startled by the overload of emotions, surprised when she heard Kara screaming her name. 

“Don't you EVER do that again!” Kara shouts, pulling back abruptly. “You hear me! Never again,” Kara yells, tears dripping down her face. She pulls Lena again into a hug, smelling the girl’s hair, just to reassure herself that she’s here, she’s real. 

“It’s okay Kara. I’m sorry,” Lena whispers soothingly, stroking the girl’s back. 

Eventually Kara’s breathing evens out, tears drying.

She pulls back slowly, one arm still around Lena as she brings her hand up to stroke the ravenette’s cheek. 

Kara leans forward, giving Lena the softest of kisses. 

“Never again,” she whispers. 

Lena nods her head, leaning into the touch of Kara’s hand. A question springs to Kara’s mind now that she isn’t so panicked about Lena's safety. 

“If the canon wasn’t for you, then who was it for?” Kara asks, wiping her eyes with her hand. 

“I don’t know. I was just picking berries when-” Lena starts. 

“Berries? What berries?” Kara asks, suddenly concerned. 

“They’re over there,” Lena says, pointing 15 yards away. 

They walk towards the direction Lena was pointing in. As they round a large bush, Lena lets out a gasp. 

Laying on the ground in front of them is a body. Kara can tell right away who it is, stark red hair shining bright against the sun. 

Indigo. 

She crouches down next to the late girl, examining the scene. Next to her hand is a scattered pile of berries, leaving a purple stain of juice on her skin. Kara picks a berry up, rolling it back and forth between her fingers. 

She turns back towards Lena who was watching the scene behind her. 

“Are these the berries you picked?” Kara asks curiously. 

Lena nods her head yes, still speechless from the event. 

“Lena, these are nightlock berries. One bite and you’re dead within a minute,” Kara says starting to stand up, walking towards the girl. “You could have easily died. One bite and-” Kara cuts herself off, not wanting to finish the sentence. 

Lena grabs Kara’s hand, trying to calm her emotions. She brings her hand to her chest, right over her heart. 

“It’s okay Kara. Just feel my heartbeat,” Lena whispers, leaning her head against the girl's. 

Kara takes in a few deep breaths. 

With one last look, she turns around again to see the fallen tribute. 

“She most likely was following you, trying to get any food she could,” Kara explains. “She saw you gathering the berries and thought they were safe to eat. She’s smart-, was smart,” Kara corrects herself. 

She pauses over the body, seeming to think. She then leans down, scrapping a few berries into her hand. 

“What are you doing?” Lena asks, coming over to watch her actions. 

She puts the berries into the front pocket of her backpack. The girl shrugs, standing up to look at Lena. 

“Maybe Leslie likes berries too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you see, they're in love. 
> 
> Guys I'm in tears. Like, today I found out that Supergirl season 6 is gonna be the last season. My heart shattered when I saw Melissa's post. Like, yes Supergirl season 5 was trash, but it was OUR TRASH! It's just-. My heart hurts just thinking about this. 
> 
> Overall, I'm just gonna miss Katie the most from the show. Katie is just the best human being of all time and I love her, so it's just gonna be so hard to see her go.
> 
> This is my opinion, but I honestly think that the writers will make supercorp like Korrosami. If you don't know what that is, in the show that ship is from, the two female characters got together in the series finale because of a life and death situation. I feel that supercorp will happen in the last episode of Supergirl just to tie up some loose ends. Comment what ya think on the whole situation if ya want!
> 
> Hope ya staying happy, healthy, and legendary like I know you are!


	33. Lurking Beasts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot is moving along. The story is getting juicy. At least I hope.

The sun starts to go down, night time taking over. They walk through the forest, Kara leading slightly. Her bow is at the ready, right hand grasping the neck of the metal. 

Lena walks beside Kara, watching the protective girl move. Kara walks with grace, not a sound created by her feet. With years of experience in the woods, Lena expects that Kara had to adapt, had to change the way she acted to survive. Eventually, Lena decides to break their comfortable silence. 

“So who’s left?” Lena asks. 

“Well, Siobhan was killed by Yvette at the feast, technically you killed Indigo, so all that leaves is Leslie and Yvette. We’re the only pair left from the same district. Just two more people and we’re home,” Kara answers, small smile adjourning her face. 

They continue to walk, Lena observing the area around her. Her eyes are curious, roaming the ground floor. 

“These woods are beautiful. I didn’t realize it until now. When the games first started, I never took time to really look around. Yes I knew there was forest and trees and leaves or whatnot, but I never truly just stopped and looked around. This morning while we were hunting, it was like the world was opened wide, like my vision was blurry before and someone gave me a pair of glasses,” Lena says, bringing out her hand to graze a branch. 

“There is a certain type of beauty in nature. Most don’t recognize it or at least, never get the opportunity,” Kara says, looking towards Lena. Kara knows she can't mention the fact that she has been in the woods for years. Going into the woods is illegal back in 12 and saying it on live television probably wouldn't be the best move. 

“What do you see in nature?” Lena asks, genuine curiosity at this deeper side of Kara. 

Kara tilts her head to the side, an action that Lena finds adorable. She seems to ponder her answer, eventually coming to a conclusion. 

“I see my parents usually. When the sun glints off a leaf, I see my dad’s smile. The way it used to shine, the feeling it gave me when he came home from the mines. And when a deer scampers by, I see the resilience of my mother. The strength she showed, working hard to keep our family alive. She never gave up, much like deer to their children. When I see a group of squirrels run by, I see a family, surrounding their dinner table well fed. I see their happiness that radiates off the group, the happiness that not only comes from surviving, but from just being together. There are many people, situations, lives to see in nature. But overall, I see you,” Kara admits, turning to look at Lena. “Whether it’s in the daisies on the edge of the forest, or the hummingbird way high in a tree, I see you. Your intuitiveness, your fight, but above all, your love that you harbor deep down,” Kara whispers. 

They stare at each other, Kara starting to reach out her hand. Suddenly her action is stopped when a scream pierces through the warm silence. 

“Help me! Someone please-” the cry for help is cut off by a rabid bark. Sounds swarm the scream of pain, muffled growls and blood thirsty gruffs. 

A cannon sounds throughout the arena, signaling the death of a tribute. Both girls flinch at the sound, fear coursing through their veins. 

Lena and Kara stand at the ready, braced with their heels dug into the ground floor. Kara’s bow is pointing outwards towards anything that dares to register as a threat, arrow willing to fire. 

“Kara, what was that?” Lena asks warily, voice shaking. 

Her heart beats out of her chest, blood pumping through her body as the unknown lurks around her. 

“I’m not sure,” Kara whispers, eyes searching the area. 

Neither girls can see, darkness surrounding them as the sun has already fallen. They instinctively walk in a circle, back to back to examine their surroundings. Not a sound can be heard besides their heavy breathing. 

Lena seems to pause when she sees a glint appear behind a branch. Kara bumps into the girl as she continued to walk. 

“Lena, what is it?” Kara asks. 

“I see something,” Lena whispers, leaning her head forward towards the glint of light. 

“Lena I wouldn’t-” Kara starts, before an animal jumps out, tackling Lena to the ground. 

The girl screams in fear when her back hits the forest floor. Lena wriggles aggressively, trying to shake the animal. The beast salivates at the mouth, teeth shining bright in Lena’s face, growl penetrating the air. 

Kara instinctively shoots her already loaded arrow in the abdomen of the beast, killing it instantly. The animal lets out a whimper as the life drains from its body. 

She lifts Lena off the ground hastily, checking her over for wounds. 

“Are you okay? Did it hurt you?” Kara asks frantically, hands moving from the girl’s shoulders, to her arms, her head. 

Lena raises her hand to her heart, the organ almost beating out of her chest. “No, no, I’m fine, but what the hell was that?!” Lena exclaims. 

Kara pulls away from Lena, looking over the dead animal lying on the ground. It resembles a dog, fur encompassing the body. But the nails of the beast are too long and sharp to belong to such a species. 

Both girls freeze, crouching down when they hear a growl coming from behind them. They slowly turn their heads, seeing similar animals stalking towards them. 

Kara slowly gets up from her crouching position, trying not to spook the animals. They approach the girls growling, ready to do harm. She moves over to Lena, standing in front of her in a protective position. She then slightly turns her head towards the girl, whispering lightly. 

“Run.”

Within a split second, Lena takes off in the opposite direction, Kara sprinting after her. She keeps her bow in hand, swinging back and forth as her arms move. Kara struggles through the forest, branches hitting her as she runs. 

“We can’t outrun them!” Kara screams in between breaths. “The Cornucopia is straight ahead. If we can make it there, we can climb on top of the structure!”

Lena just continues to run, breaking through the forest edge. In the middle of the grass field lies the Cornucopia, sitting as it did just a week ago at the start of the games. 

The beasts continue to run after the two girls, heavy breaths escaping their traps as they ground their paws into the earth. 

Kara turns around during her running, shooting two down. Sadly, two more spring back up suddenly from the ground. In front of her, Lena trips, falling onto the grass. She groans out in pain as a stabbing tingling shoots through her leg. Kara quickly picks her back up under the arms, Cornucopia in sight. 

“We’re almost there!” Kara says, pulling Lena up. 

They sprint forward, Lena limping slightly as they reach the structure, beasts about 30 yards behind. Kara throws her bow upwards, hitting the black metal and landing on the roof. 

“Quickly, I’ll host you up,” Lena says, cupping her hands together for Kara to step on as a makeshift stool. 

Kara grabs onto the side of the structure, placing her foot in Lena’s hand. Lena pushes her upwards until she reaches the top. Kara then hangs off the side, hands reaching out towards Lena. 

“Grab my hands!” she exclaims as the beasts come nearer. 

Lena jumps upwards, latching onto Kara’s hands. Just as she’s off the ground, the animals claw at the bottom of the Cornucopia, scratching at Lena’s feet. 

“Come on!” Kara exclaims, trying to pull Lena upwards. 

She strains herself, eventually pulling Lena’s body onto the top of the structure. The girl collapses her body weight onto Kara, lying face to face. They both breath heavily, exauhsted from running. Lena smiles, knowing that they made it, that they weren’t torn to shreds by the animals. 

The smile is quickly wiped from her face as she’s abruptly pulled backwards, body lifted into the air. Kara whips her head to the side, seeing the cause of this action. 

Standing five feet away, blood dripping down her face as she struggles to put Lena into a chokehold, is Leslie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DAMN IT LESLIE! Had to ruin our lovebird's feeling of safety. 
> 
> welp, I'm still crying over the fact that it's supergirl's last season. I love the fact that the show isn't going to be over for about a year and I'm just worrying over it now. I find it kinda amusing. 
> 
> I really hope you are enjoying the story because I'm enjoying writing it. Thank you so much for all those who have left comments and kudos. They mean the world to me. 
> 
> Stay happy, healthy, and safe please!


	34. The Final Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys this story is getting way more attention than I thought it would. Thank you to all of you who read my updates, leave kudos and comments. They light up my day!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Standing five feet away, blood dripping down her face as she struggles to put Lena into a chokehold is Leslie. 

Lena thrashes from side to side, trying to get out of the girl’s hold. Kara quickly gets up from her position, sprinting at the two forms. Kara pulls on Leslie’s hair, yanking down as hard as she can. 

The girl screeches, flailing her arms around, releasing Lena. She then rushes Kara, tackling her on the edge of the Cornucopia. She puts her body weight on top of the blonde, pushing her hands down hard on her throat. 

Leslie’s face is turning red, laced with anger as she pushes down harder, suffocating Kara. Kara claws at Leslie’s hands, kicking her legs up and down. Her eyes are bugged out wide, becoming red from the strain. At some point, Kara’s vision starts to blur, black spots appearing near the edges of her eyes. Before she loses consciousness, she feels the weight of Leslie’s body kicked to the side, allowing her to breath. 

She’s on her hands and knees, intaking heaves of breath, struggling to bring in air. Meanwhile, Leslie gets up from her position and charges Lena, the person who kicked her off Kara. The girl runs at the ravenette, knocking her off balance. She puts Lena into a chokehold, Lena too weak to fend off the brute District 1 tribute. 

Eventually, the oxygen hits Kara’s brain after being restricted from it for so long. Kara’s vision sharpens, taking in the sight before her. Leslie stands at the edge of the Cornucopia, arm firmly surrounding Lena’s neck. Lena’s hands pull at the girl’s arm, but Leslie tightens her grip, stopping Lena’s struggling. Blood drips down the side of Leslie’s head, fresh wound open. 

Kara looks around the roof of the Cornucopia, spotting her silver bow just a few feet away. She dives for it, quickly pulling back an arrow from her crouched position. Her eyes are animalistic, staring at the one thing that could kill Lena at this very moment, that could break Kara’s promise of getting them home safely. 

“Nuh uh ah,” Leslie voices. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, blondie,” she says in a mocking tone. 

Kara just pulls the string back farther, ready to shoot, but where?

“You release that arrow and we both go down, me and your precious love,” she says, spitting in Kara’s direction. 

Lena stares at Kara, eyes wide, breathing labored. Eventually, her eyes get a sort of spark, the same spark she gets when talking about something she loves, or when she has an idea. The girl starts to tap her finger against the back of Leslie’s hand, the hand connected to the arm that surrounds Lena’s neck. 

“Ever since I was a kid, I watched the games. I imagined myself in the games, hands raised in victory. My parents were so proud when I got picked,” Leslie says, her eyes seeming to have a humane look in them. They then change back to their ferocious glare. “You will not take that away from me. Not you or your little pruny girlfriend over here,” Leslie boasts, face smug and arrogant. She tightens her arm around Lena’s wind pipe, the girl obviously struggling to breath as she chokes in slight huffs of air. 

Kara zones in on her target, the hand covered in scratches, cuts, and blood. She moves her bow slightly, ready to fire. 

“I can still-” Leslie starts, before Kara releases the arrow, spearing her hand. 

Leslie abruptly releases her hold on Lena, pain shooting throughout her arm. 

“Mother fu-” Leslie begins to curse. As she’s distracted, Lena shoves her backwards, sending the girl falling to the ground. She hits the grass below the Cornucopia with a thump, instantly being swarmed by the beasts they were chased by earlier. 

Leslie screams out in pain, long claws cutting at her body. They seem to devour her like a meal, seeing her as only a target instead of a human being. 

Kara walks up behind Lena, finding the girl paralyzed, looking at the scene below. Eventually, Kara decides to put Leslie out of her misery, pulling back an arrow and shooting it down below, ending the girl’s life. 

They hear one final gruff of pain before the life fully drains from the girl’s body. A cannon sounds throughout the arena, signaling the death of one last tribute. Lena turns her head towards Kara, the gravity of the situation hitting her like a train. She pulls Kara into a hug, tears starting to well up in her eyes. 

“We did it,” Lena whispers. 

Kara stares wide eyed behind Lena, relief overtaking her body. She buries her face into Lena’s neck, feeling the comfort that the girl brings. The darkness around them starts to fade into a light sunrise, arena lighting up consistently. They continue to hug, Lena stroking the blonde’s hair, until a voice rings out throughout the arena. 

“Attention tributes, attention. There has again been a rule change,” the announcer states. He seems to pause before continuing. “Originally, the announcement changing the rule of one tribute reigning victor has been revoked. Just like before, only one shall remain alive. We are gravely sorry for the inconvenience. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.”

Wait a minute. What did he just say? Kara pulls back, meeting Lena’s eyes. They stare at each other, words of the announcer starting to set in. 

“Kara-” Lena starts, abruptly being cut off when Kara pulls back, sliding off the side of the Cornucopia. 

The girl’s feet hit the ground hard, Kara fiercely walking forward as her arms flail. 

“This is bullshit! You can’t just change the rule back! We won God dammit! Sound the victory horn and bring us home!” Kara screams up into the sky, demanding to be heard. 

Lena slides off the Cornucopia as well, walking up behind Kara. She rests her hand on the girl’s shoulder. Kara turns her head, seeing the look of utter despair on Lena’s face. 

“Kara, it’s okay. They can only have one winner,” Lena says calmly, fighting back tears. 

“No it’s not okay!” Kara shouts, looking back up towards the sky. “We didn’t fight this FUCKING hard and find each other through EVERYTHING just so you can go around for dramatic affect and change the rule! So bring your announcer back and tell all of Panem that we have won! Here let me help you,” Kara screams into the sky yet again. She cups her hands around her mouth, moving her head from side to side. “‘Ladies and Gentlemen, the winners of the First Quarter Quell and 25th hunger games, Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor!’ Yay yay! Cheers! That’s what you’re going to say on all the holograms and all throughout Panem!” Kara screams. 

The arena stays silent, Kara’s words bouncing off of trees and echoing throughout the forest. No announcement is made, no rule is changed. 

“Kara,” Lena says, voice cracking on the word. 

Kara fully turns around, tears coming to her eyes. 

“No Lena, just no,” Kara says, grabbing Lena’s hands that were at her sides. 

“Kara they need a-” Lena starts again. 

“No they don’t! Lena this isn’t how it-it is sup-pposed to end. We were go-gonna go home an-and be happy and I was go-going to pick you my fav-vorite flowers from the meadow and ev-every night I was gonna si-sing you to sleep,” Kara cries, on her knees now as she wraps her arms around Lena’s midsection. Lena bends forward, hugging the girl’s shoulders. 

Kara sobs into Lena’s shirt, pulling tighter and tighter. She grasps at the material of Lena’s jacket, trying to find purchase in reality. 

“Kara,” Lena whispers. 

Kara ferociously shakes her head against Lena’s abdomen, letting out a muffled sob. 

“No,” Kara speaks, sniffling as snot caused from her tears runs down her nose. 

They stay in that position, Kara pulling Lena as close as possible, not wanting to face the reality of the situation. 

At some point, Kara’s body jerks, idea coming to mind. She stands up abruptly, eyes wide as her mind races. She whips her head around, seeming to be looking for something. 

“Kara what is it?” Lena asks. 

“Where’s my backpack?” Kara responds with her own question, continuing to roam her eyes over the field surrounding them. 

“It’s on your back,” Lena says, not even laughing at the irony of the situation. 

Kara feels around for the straps, quickly taking the backpack off and rummaging through the pockets. She finds what she’s looking for as she pauses, eventually dropping the backpack to the ground. 

Lena looks at Kara’s hand. In it she holds purple berries, nightlock, the size of small acorns. It takes a second for everything to make sense in Lena’s head, head whipping up to meet Kara’s eyes. 

Kara walks forward, standing in front of Lena. 

“They don’t need a victor,” Kara whispers, hand outstretched in between the two. 

“Kara you have people at home who need you,” Lena starts. 

Images flash in Kara’s mind of Alex, Eliza, Winn. Kara sees Lena's brother Lex, his witty nature but warm interior. She sees them sitting in front of the hologram at this very moment, eyes glued to the scene in front of them. 

“They’ll understand,” Kara whispers. “Lena, I love you. I can’t live without you after I have just found out what it feels like to have you,” Kara says, leaning forward to kiss the girl. 

She pours out all of her emotions, all of the love she has in her heart for the girl before her. Lena is the air that fills her lungs, the water that keeps her alive, her sun. Kara is Lena’s love, the one who keeps her going, the reason she smiles. 

Kara pulls back, leaning forward to place a delicate kiss in between Lena's eyebrows where obvious emotion, frustration lies.

"It's okay love. It's all going to be okay," Kara whispers as she lightly kisses in between Lena's eyebrows again, releasing the tension from them as they relax. Kara turns her hand, dropping some berries into Lena’s palm. 

“On three, okay?” Kara asks. 

Lena nods her head, tears silently falling down her cheeks. 

Kara raises her left hand to cup Lena’s cheek, wiping away a stray tear that has fallen. 

“One,” Kara starts, just above a whisper. 

“Two,” Lena continues, voice hoarse from crying.

Both girls start to lift their hands, berries mere inches from their mouths. Finally, Kara says the deciding word. 

“Three.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You see, imma go hide under a rock for leaving you on this cliffhanger. 
> 
> Byyyyyyyeeeeeeee


	35. Correction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this late because I forgot. WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!

Both girls start to lift their hands, berries mere inches from their mouths. Finally, Kara says the deciding word. 

“Three.”

They both raise the berries to their mouths, opening wide and ready to accept their fate, together.

“Stop! Stop!” a voice rings out throughout the arena. 

Kara’s head whips up, grabbing Lena’s wrist, stopping the girl from eating the berries.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. The winners of the 25th Hunger Games and First Quarter Quell, Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor,” the announcer states. His words are followed by triumphant music, the music played every year for the victor of the games. 

Kara turns her head back towards Lena, crushing the girl into a hug. Relief courses through her as she sobs into the girl’s shoulder. 

She then pulls back, raising her hand to Lena’s cheek, entangling her fingers in her hair. 

“We-we’re going home,” she says in between watery breaths. She then leans her forehead against Lena’s, bringing her right hand up to hold the girl’s head firmly against hers. Lena grabs at Kara’s wrist, rubbing her thumb against the back of Kara’s hand. 

A smile spreads across both their faces as the words truly sink in. 

Eventually, the wind picks up around them, hovercraft flying above the two. The machine drops a rope ladder, extending to them on the ground. 

Lena gets on first, climbing up a little so that Kara can get on as well. They hold hands the entire time as they’re pulled up, hair whipping around as they get back onto the machine that took them to the games in the first place. 

Once they are completely pulled up, they’re swarmed by Capitol staff and doctors. The people surround them, trying to pull the two girls apart. 

“Miss Danvers, release Miss Luthor’s hand. We need to clean both of you and get you healed up,” a man in all white says, looking down towards their joined hands. 

“I’m not leaving Lena,” Kara says. Not after everything that happened, not after they almost lost their lives, not after the games. 

“I’m sorry, but we’re not asking,” the man says.

Someone separates their hands, pulling Kara backwards. 

“Get off of me!” Kara shouts at the person pulling her by the shoulders. She kicks her legs, struggling against the person’s hold. Lena tries to chase after the girl, eventually being pulled back as well. 

“Kara! Kara!” Lena screams.

“Lena I’m right he-“ Kara screams back, words dieing in her mouth as someone sticks a needle into her neck, knocking her unconscious. 

__________________________________

She wakes up in an all white room, lying on a cotton bed. Kara notices she’s wearing a white cloth medical gown, thin and itchy against her skin.

She sits up, draping her legs over the side of the bed. As she brings her hand up to brush her hair back, she finds her forehead to be smooth. It makes her pause, remembering the gash that used to take over the right side of her head. She runs her hand over the spot, finding only smooth skin.

She then pulls the dressing gown back from her leg, examining her right thigh. Instead of a faded burn mark, all she finds is smooth white flesh. She continues to search her body, finding not a single mark or blemish disrupting the skin. As she continues to look herself over, a part of the wall opens.

In walks J’onn in his casual black pants and matching black shirt. Kara shoots up from her position on the bed, running towards the man. She flings herself into his arms, welcoming the warm embrace. 

He wraps his large arms around the girl, rubbing his hand up and down her back. 

“Welcome back,” he whispers, trying not to spook the girl. “You were out for quite a while.”

Kara pulls back from the hug, still staying close to the man. 

“How long?” she asks curiously. 

“The games ended about three days ago,” J’onn states, eliciting a gasp from Kara. “After they knocked you unconscious, they brought you back to the Capitol and cleaned you up. That’s why you have no more wounds or cuts,” he explains. 

Kara nods her head, taking in his words. She looks at her bare feet until she whips her head up, remembering something. 

“Where’s Lena?” she asks frantically. 

He puts his hands on her shoulders, trying to sooth the girl’s worries. 

“She’s okay. They did the same thing with her as they did with you. You’ll see her tonight during the final interview. That’s actually why I came now. We have to go get you ready,” he explains. 

Kara nods her head, wanting to get to Lena as quickly as possible. 

“Let’s get started then!”

__________________________________

Kara stands underneath the stage, below the platform that will eventually raise her up in front of thousands. She hears people mumbling, a crowd ready for the night ahead. 

She wears a puffy blue dress, tight around the waist but ruffling at the bottom. At some point, she hears footsteps from behind her. 

“Hello ponytail,” Snapper greets, looking unusually clean in a light blue suit. 

Kara hugs the man that she hasn’t seen in over a week, weirdly overcome with affection as she clings to the man who in some cases, saved her life. 

“Don’t get all emotional on me,” he gruffs.

Kara pulls back, mumbling a shy “sorry” as she brushes her blonde hair back behind her shoulder. 

“Look, I came over here to tell you what you’re going to be facing. This might shock you, but you pissed the hell out of the Capitol when you pulled out those berries. You defied them, made them look bad. You might be dead right now if you weren’t in love with the girl behind the other side of that panel,” he says, pointing at the divider behind him. “You fooled the people. Even though the Capitol saw it as an act of defiance, the people saw it as an act of love. I don’t care if it was or not, but I wanted to let you know that you need to boast the love you two have. Constantly mention it, show it through acts of affection. It’s what saved you in the games and it’s what’s saving you now,” he informs. 

Kara’s shocked by Snapper’s words. The Capitol would kill her if it weren’t for the love of the people, the belief they had in Lena and her relationship, even if it all was true. 

Kara nods her head, taking in the words Snapper has spoken. 

“Thank you Snapper,” she says, resting her hand on his shoulder. 

He shakes her hand off, a look of annoyance on his face. 

“Whatever, it’s the job,” he says as he turns around, heading to his spot before the interview. 

Kara rolls her eyes playfully, knowing deep down under all the aftershave and alcohol, Snapper truly cares. She turns forward, waiting for Maxwell to announce first the stylists, then Miss Grant, afterwards Snapper, and finally, Lena and her. 

She hears the Capitol music start to play, echoing all throughout the Capitol walkway. 

“Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen! What a night we have in front of us I might say!” Maxwell says, with what Kara assumes is a charming smirk. 

The people cheer, some whistling and clapping.

“Tonight, we see deeper into the thrilling games from the past two weeks. We get another perspective from the Victors, yes not victor, themselves! Shall we begin?” he asks. 

The crowd cheers, sound bouncing off all hard surfaces. 

“What was that?! Let me ask again. Shall we begin?!” he asks with more emphasis this time. 

The cheers get louder, a few screams of approval coming from the crowd. 

“Now that’s what I like to hear,” he shouts. “First off, the stylists representing our two victors. The people behind their wonderful fiery entrance at the tribute parade and their dazzling outfits at the tribute interviews, Jess and J’onn!” he introduces. 

Kara can tell when their platforms rise above the stage as the cheers only increase. 

“Next, we have the woman who has been with these two from the start. The woman who you all know and love, the woman who some of you might even have a crush on, the lovely Cat Grant!” Maxwell announces. 

Somehow, Kara can hear the intricate click of her heels on the stage as she walks forward, cheers and applause erupting.

“Now, the main man himself, the mentor of our two lovely victors, Snapper Carr!” 

Snapper gets an explosion of cheers, Kara assumes people rising in their seats.

Kara’s nerves buzz with anticipation, knowing that within a few seconds, she’ll finally be able to see Lena again. See her smile, the way her eyes light up. Kara wonders what she’ll be wearing, a suit? A dress? She taps her foot, trying to distract herself from her thoughts. 

“And finally, Ladies and Gentlemen. Our two, not one, victors from District 12. Our star-crossed lovers who fought in the end, to survive together, Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor!”

Before Kara realizes it, the platform underneath her begins to rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok not sure if this counts as a cliffhanger. If so, imma keep hiding under my rock. 
> 
> Welp, hope you guys are doing well. Only a few more chapters left. *sobbing* Hope you like them!


	36. The Final Interview

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer chapter. Hope you like it!

Kara closes her eyes, taking in a deep breath as she rises from below the stage. She flexes her fingers, keeping her arms at her sides. Her foot has stopped tapping at this point, too nervous to even move. As her head rises from under the stage, she opens her eyes. 

Every single citizen occupying the seats in front stands, cheering and hollering. Kara doesn’t realize that she’s holding her breath until she looks to her right. Standing 20 feet away is Lena in a dark navy suit, hair pulled back into a high ponytail. Kara lets out her breath at the sight, face breaking into a large smile. 

She runs towards Lena, nearly tripping in her high heels. Lena’s arms are already open for Kara, wrapping around the girl as she buries her face in the blonde’s neck. Kara pulls back from the hug, moving her hands up to cup Lena’s cheeks. Everything around her becomes muffled, all the sounds, the people. They all fade as she looks into Lena’s eyes. 

She meets the girl halfway, Lena’s hands coming to rest on her hips. The kiss starts slow, eventually deepening as Kara forgets where they are. 

“Ahem,” Maxwell clears his throat. 

Kara pulls back, turning towards the crowd with a sheepish look on her face. She then turns back towards Lena, leaning down to lightly kiss her nose. They smile at each other before Kara backs away, holding out her hand for Lena to take. Together, they walk towards the sleek bright red couch, perfectly fit for two. 

They sit down together, Lena on Kara’s left. 

“My my my, somebody seems happy to see each other,” Maxwell starts as he sits down in the loveseat next to the couch, waving his hand as if to cool himself off. 

The crowd laughs, already loving the dynamic. 

“Well we haven’t seen each other since the end of the games. You could imagine how much I’ve been looking forward to this. All the frustration I was going through at not seeing her,” Lena says, kissing the side of Kara’s head. 

“We were going through,” Kara corrects. Lena turns her head with a small smile, leaning down to kiss the girl. 

The crowd all “aws” at the same time, adoring this loving couple in front of them. 

As they turn back to meet Maxwell’s eye, Kara takes off her heels, pulling her legs to the side on the couch, leaning more into Lena. The action is casual, loving as Lena wraps her arm around her shoulder. 

“Well, we have a long, but wonderful night ahead of us. Are you ready folks?’ Maxwell asks the crowd. 

They applaud in answer, the large screen above the people lighting up. They go through multiple events leading up to the games, starting first with the Reaping. When Lena’s name is picked, Maxwell comments. 

“Not even dating, yet there is so much love, so much pain. You can just see it by the way you hold her after her name is called,” he says at the image of Kara holding Lena at the Reaping. 

Next, they move on to the Tribute Parade, their grand entrance into the Capitol. The fire of their suits burns bright against the screens, flowing in the wind as their horse pulls them forward. 

After that is the interviews, not only an important moment in the games for the two girls to get sponsors, but also an important moment in their relationship. 

They go through Kara’s interview, her small jokes and shy smiles. Max laughs at the joke about burning to death during the Tribute Parade. They then move on to Lena’s interview, eventually reaching the question that changed the games. 

‘“So Lena, I was wondering, being the beautiful lady you are, is there anyone special back home?”

“Ah, no. Not really,” Lena says with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Not really? Oh do tell,” Maxwell pushes. 

“I mean, well, there is this one girl that I’ve had a crush on for a long time, but I don’t think she was ever into me.”

“Ah. Well let me give you some advice. You go out there and you win the games and when you get back home, she’ll have to go on a date with you. Right guys?” Maxwell asks the crowd. 

Lena chuckles. “Thank you Maxwell, but I don’t think winning the games is gonna help me.”

“And why is that?” Maxwell questions with genuine curiosity. 

“Because, because she came here with me.”’

From her leaning position, Kara looks upwards towards Lena, kissing the curve of her jaw softly. Lena tightens her hold on the blonde, nuzzling her head on the top of Kara’s. 

At some point, they reach the games, displaying the Cornucopia on the screen. It’s a horrible sight, the entire bloodbath displayed. Children kill children, some quickly, others bleed out. Kara hides her face in the crook of Lena’s neck, not wanting to see anymore pain. 

Eventually, it all slows down. They show the night Kara had heard the Careers, the night she discovered Lena was in their pack. How she was sitting in the tree just above them as they talked about her. Talked about wanting to find her and kill her. 

Lena looks down at Kara, not knowing that Kara was there that night. She kisses the top of her head, rubbing her hand up and down the girl’s arm. 

Next is the day Kara woke up with fire around her. She still remembers the smell, the instant panic when seeing the threat. Lena freezes at her side, obviously cringing when seeing Kara in pain. Seeing the burn all along her right thigh as she screamed in agony. 

Kara holds Lena tighter, knowing it helps her feel more secure. Lena again, leans her head against the blonde’s, reveling in the comfort knowing that she is safe. 

After that, the cameras zoom in on the Careers. The Careers chasing Kara up a tree, trying to kill her. The crowd laughs when Kara mocks the brute teenagers after Leslie had fallen in her attempt to climb. 

Lena tilts her head to the side when they show Nia up in the tree near Kara, talking to her. Lena never knew that Nia was there that night either, helping Kara, pointing out the tracker jacker nest. Kara obviously stiffens next to Lena, realizing that she’ll have to live through Nia’s death yet again. See the life drain from the poor girl, the pain on her face. 

The camera angle quickly changes to when Kara had spoken to Lena high up in the trees, telling her to run no matter what. The crowd “aws” again, seeing the love in both the girl’s eyes. Showing the devotion both had for keeping each other alive. 

Kara watches as the nest hits the ground, breaking open, as she climbs down the tree lethargically and tries to run away. She sees Lena come back, fighting to defend off Leslie. Kara sees the slash Leslie cuts into Lena’s leg, Lena screaming in pain. 

Kara can barely watch the screen, seeing Lena stumble away as her leg gushes with blood. She watches the girl stumble towards the river, covering herself enough so she could hide in plain sight. 

Kara interlaces her fingers with the hand Lena drapes over her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. 

The scene changes, confusing Lena yet again as she sees Kara wake up to find Nia. Kara never told Lena about Nia, about how she helped the young girl. Lena never even knew they were allies. 

She watches on as the two bond, as they eat together and talk about home, reminiscing. 

Lena smiles when Nia asks Kara about herself. 

‘“Is all that stuff really true? About you and her?” Nia asks.

“Well, Lena and I have known each other for years. We always saw each other at school. Threw some shy glances and small smiles. I had a massive crush on her and wanted to ask her out. But I was always too scared. I didn’t even know if she liked me back and I didn’t want to face the possibility of rejection. No matter what, I was always thinking about her. Always looking at her across the classroom instead of listening to the lesson. Her smiles always brighten my day and her laugh makes me feel euphoric. Like the sun has risen in my chest. I truly like everything about her. I might even love her, but I don’t really know. I’m not sure I know what love is. Before we went into the games, I promised her that I would protect her, but she had ideas of her own. She tried to protect me instead. That’s why she joined the Careers, leading them away from me. I told her to run when I dropped the nest, but instead she came back to help me,” Kara finishes.’

Again, Lena kisses the top of Kara’s head, starting to run her hand through the blonde curls. She scratches at Kara’s scalp, massaging the skin. 

The images on the screen change to the Cornucopia explosion, and then Kara running. Running back to Nia only to find her trapped in a net. 

Kara knows what’s about to happen, knows that Nia’s about to die. She sees herself on screen cutting Nia free from the net, hugging her close as her panic subsides. Then Nia’s focus changing, looking at the District 1 tribute that Kara had not heard, had not seen. 

Kara buries her face again into Lena’s neck as the spear starts to fly. She can’t bring herself to watch it, silent tears starting to roll down the sides of her face. 

“Sssshhhhh, it’s okay. I’ve got you,” Lena whispers to Kara, trying to sooth her. 

Eventually the scene changes away from Nia, away from the late girl, instead showing Kara bolting up after the announcement of the rule change was made. 

They play Kara discovering Lena, zooming in on the shy looks and tears of joy. They go through the first two days, nights in the cave. How Kara tended to Lena, trying to keep the girl alive. 

They play Kara’s entire speech after the feast was announced, her love confession to Lena. How she tried to convince Lena to let her go get the medicine. How they had their first kiss, only for Lena to refuse to let her leave. How Kara snuck out that night, making her way to the Cornucopia anyway. 

Next, they display the feast. Kara running to get the medicine, only to have Siobhan come out of nowhere and slash her forehead with a knife. Kara can tell that she was a millisecond from death before Yvette pulled the girl off of her, slamming her against the Cornucopia. 

They run through the next day or two, Kara and Lena in the cave, sharing stories, kisses, and smiles. 

The screen flashes to the two girls hunting. Lena picking the berries while Kara kills a bird. They show Indigo hiding behind a bush and grabbing a handful of the purple fruit while Lena isn’t looking, eventually dropping dead on the ground after ingesting just one. 

Eventually, nightfall came in the games bringing on a pack of wild beasts that as shown in front of them, killed Yvette. The girl had no chance, the dogs coming up from the ground with no warning. 

They show Kara and Lena running to the Cornucopia, only to be met by Leslie. The video shows the entire struggle and fight between the three ladies, ending in Leslie on the ground next to the Cornucopia lying dead. 

Finally, they show the aftermath. The Capitol cut out the part where Kara screamed at them, only keeping in her breaking down in front of Lena, wishing that reality could change. They show Kara jumping up, pulling out the berries. Show Lena and Kara raising the berries to their mouths, ready to die, together. But instead, the victory music sounds on the speakers, showing the ending of the games.

Kara thinks that’s the end, until the screen shows the hovercraft ride. How Kara struggled against the doctors, wanting to stay with Lena. Fighting for her, even though she was quickly put down. 

As the video cuts off, Maxwell turns in his chair. 

“Inseparable til the end,” he says in a smooth tone.

The room is silent, not a cheer from the crowd, not a conversation going. Max breaks the silence, asking one last question. 

“Now Kara, I wanted to ask you one last thing. I’m probably not supposed to, but something truly stuck out to me throughout that replay. I think all of us have a grasping of your and Lena’s relationship, seeing it unfold in front of our very eyes, but,” he pauses, seeming to think about the rest of his question. “When you found Lena that day, down by the river, what was going through your head?” he asks. 

Kara pauses, no longer looking at the crowd. She turns her head towards Lena, looking up into piercing green eyes. 

“It might sound cliche, but I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. For the whole games, I was holding my breath in a way. I didn’t know where she was, if she was okay. But when I found her, I knew everything was going to be fine because we were together. Because she was there and I was there and even though we hadn’t told each other yet, deep down, we both knew we loved each other,” she says, now looking out towards the crowd. 

Most of the crowd cheers, some are silent due to the tears that run down their cheeks, unable to clap. 

“Well, ladies and gentlemen what a night it has been. Sadly, it is time to say goodbye. Can you please give a warm farewell to our victors of the First Quarter Quell, our star-crossed lovers from District 12, Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor!” he says, getting up from his seated position.

They get up with the man, standing side by side. With their joined hands, they give one last bow and wave off the crowd, ending the long and draining night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEYRE IN LOVE WHAT CAN I SAY!
> 
> I just love them. Like the jaw kiss and the snuggles. I-. It's just too much. 
> 
> Guys two more chapters left. *tears*
> 
> Hope you're enjoying the ending chapters of the story and are staying healthy!


	37. Our Victors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ZMBXCMNZXKJBCKJDSKJSNDC

Kara sits in what can only be described as a throne, Lena in a similar chair on her right. They hold hands, never wanting to be separated. 

She wears a light yellow dress, not as girly as the night before, but more pristine. In front of her stands the President of Panem, Ben Lockwood. His hair as usual is slicked back, elegant black suit fitting his body perfectly. Kara notices the same handkerchief in his breast pocket with the gold star emblazoned on the front, standing out against the darkness of his suit. Eventually, one of his advisors comes up to him, informing him it’s his time to speak. 

He walks up to the podium at the edge of the balcony overlooking the Capitol walkway, addressing thousands of Panem’s citizens. 

“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Crowning Ceremony where we recognize our victors for the utter strength and perseverance they showed,” he announces in a booming voice, getting cheers in response. “These games have been quite unique I must say. Going into this year, we all knew that it would be a special one, but not in the way we expected. Our two victors have truly shown us that no matter what we go through, heartache, loss, and even death, love will prevail. Now, without further ado, I shall crown our two tributes as the victors they are,” he announces. 

The man turns around as a server walks forward, presenting the man with a gold crown. It is refined rather than flashy, no jewels lacing the outside metal. He takes the object in hand, walking up to the two seated girls. 

Kara stands as the man walks up, a politeful smile adjoining her face. She looks down as the man splits the crown into two halves, one in each hand. 

He places the first one on Lena’s head, a look of indifference towards the woman as he performs the action. 

He then moves over to Kara, placing the other half of the crown on her head as well. 

“Congratulations Miss Danvers,” he says, dropping his hands to his side. He then lifts his right hand, brushing the shoulder of Kara’s dress as if there was dust on the material. 

With one last smile, he turns around towards the microphone yet again. 

“Our victors!” he exclaims. 

Kara and Lena walk forward on the balcony, seeing thousands of people below. With their joined hands raised, they give one last bow to the people of the Capitol, ready to go home, together. 

__________________________________

They step onto the train hand in hand, nighttime already starting to fall with the setting sun. The train is the same one that took them to the Capitol, now taking them home. Kara remembers being on this train, wondering if she’ll ever see it again, ever experience the luxury it introduced to her. 

They stand in the dining car, looking at their surroundings. The cutlery is the same, decorating the table, matching the aesthetics of the rest of the car. 

“Well, ladies you know where your rooms are, since you’ve been here before. I’m going to go retire for the night and hopefully get some sleep,” Miss Grant says, walking out of the sliding door towards a separate car. 

Snapper doesn’t even look in the girls’ direction, moving towards the miny bar and grabbing a bottle of amber liquid. He leaves the car with a gruff and an extra glass in hand. 

The girls stay in the center of the dining car, hands still joined as they stand idly. 

Eventually Kara speaks, breaking the silence. 

“We should probably get some sleep,” she says, looking towards Lena who meets her gaze. 

“Yeah that sounds like a smart idea,” Lena agrees. 

Neither move nor let go of each others’ hand. Kara takes in a noticeable breath, her eyebrows drawing together in a crinkle. 

“Um, would you, I mean, would you want to, um-“ Kara stutters, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. 

Lena turns her body to face Kara, cupping the blonde’s cheek. She rubs the cheekbone with the pad of her thumb, the smooth skin warm.

“What is it, darling?” Lena questions, a soft tilt of her head. Kara smiles at the tone, the nickname sending a spark of warmth through her chest. 

“Um, would you, uh, would you like to stay in my room tonight?” Kara asks, sheepish look on her face. She blushes when she realizes how the question sounded. “Just to sleep of course, not that you would think we wouldn’t be sleeping, or maybe you were, I’m not completely sure, but-” Kara is cut off when Lena leans forward, pressing a languid kiss to her lips. 

Lena pulls back, leaning forward once more to place a soft peck on the blonde’s lips. 

“I would love to,” she whispers. 

“Great,” Kara says with an even bigger smile. 

They walk hand in hand to Kara’s room, opening the door to find the same room as expected, except the sheets have been changed. 

“I’m gonna go change real quick. I’ll meet you back here in five minutes?” Lena asks. 

“Sounds good,” Kara says with a final squeeze of Lena’s hand. 

The girl gives a quick smile, before leaving the room. Kara stares at the door the girl exited, pulled out of her thoughts when she remembers she has to slip into sleepwear. 

She quickly changes into soft silk pants and a light blue shirt, the most casual clothes she could find in her closet. She then goes to the bathroom, brushing out her blonde hair. Kara’s complexion is soft, her freckles prominently spread across her nose. She plays with a lock of her hair, until she hears someone’s feet paddling on the floor of the bedroom. 

Kara exits the bathroom, seeing Lena standing awkwardly in the center of the room, wringing her hands together. 

Kara walks up to the girl, wrapping her arms around her waist. The girl reacts similarly, wrapping her arms around Kara’s neck. Lena wears cotton pajama shorts with a silk yellow top. Her hair falls around her shoulders, smoothly brushed out. 

“Beautiful,” Kara whispers, leaning down to kiss the girl’s nose. 

Lena’s blushes to the tips of her ears, smile splitting her face in half. She then yawns, bringing her hand up to cover the sight. 

“Let’s get you to bed,” Kara says. 

“Buy a girl some dinner first,” Lena mocks, saying the same thing she did all those days ago back in the games. 

Kara picks her up bridal style, eliciting a squeal from Lena. 

“Which side of the bed m’lady?” Kara asks in her best Capitol accent. 

Lena giggles, arms around Kara’s neck. 

“Surprise me,” she muses the girl. 

Kara lays her down softly on the right side of the bed, pulling back the covers before tucking her in. She then goes to turn off the light, eventually rounding the bed and laying next to Lena. 

Both stare at the ceiling on their backs, hands laying at their sides. 

“It feels good to be back in a bed,” Lena whispers into the darkness. 

Kara turns onto her side, looking at the girl. Lena does the same, feeling Kara’s body shift. 

“As long as you’re with me, I’m happy,” Kara whispers. She brings her right hand up to cup the girl’s cheek, rubbing her thumb smoothly against the skin. Kara leans forward, lightly pressing her lips to Lena’s as her eyes flutter closed. 

She pulls back to stare at the ravenette, only love shining in her eyes. Kara pulls the girl closer, throwing her arm over her waist. Lena snuggles into Kara’s embrace, feeling safe in her arms. She lets out a contented sigh against Kara’s neck, making the girl shiver. 

“I love you, Kara,” Lena says, sleep evident in her voice as she yawns yet again. 

“I love you too, Lena,” Kara whispers back with a kiss to the girl’s forehead. 

__________________________________

Lena wakes up the next day wrapped in Kara’s arms. She smiles at the sensation, hoping that she won’t have to go a day without it. She leans her head upwards, kissing the girl’s neck. Kara begins to stir, thumb rubbing against Lena’s arm. 

“Mmmmm,” she hums. 

Kara cracks an eye open, seeing the mop of raven hair pooled on her chest. 

“Good morning,” Kara says, voice laced with sleep. 

“Good morning, love,” Lena says, lightly kissing the girl’s jaw. 

Kara smiles lazily, liking the press of Lena’s lips to her skin. Sadly, the peaceful bliss is quickly interrupted. 

There’s a banging on Kara’s bedroom door, startling the two girls. 

“Get up ladies! I don’t want to know what you two are doing in there! We’re pulling into the station soon! Get dressed and ready for cameras!” Snapper shouts through the door. 

Kara groans, not wanting to leave and face reality. She rolls over face down on the bed, burying her face into a pillow. 

Lena chuckles at Kara’s antics, pulling back and swinging her legs off the side of the bed. 

“Come on, we have to get up,” Lena says, shaking the girl's shoulder. 

Again Kara groans, not making an effort to move. 

“Ok, I guess you won’t get any pancakes then,” Lena says, leaving the bed. 

“I’m up! I’m up!” Kara shouts, jumping up from the bed and racing into her closet. 

Lena laughs at the girl, leaving the room quickly to go change. Once changed, they meet in the hall, walking to the dining car together. Eventually they sit down at the table, Kara piling up food on her plate. 

“Finish your food quickly ladies. We’ll be pulling into the station in just a few minutes. Almost the entire district will be there, ready to congratulate you. You’re victors, you have to act like them,” Snapper informs, pouring more scotch into his coffee. 

Kara rolls her eyes as she shoves another pancake into her mouth. Lena eats a few pieces of fruit, eventually wiping her hands on her napkin. At some point, the train noticeably comes to a stop, Miss Grant walking in through a sliding door. 

“Ladies, we’re here! Time for pictures!” she announces, walking in from a separate car and stopping in front of the table. She looks the two girls over, examining their outfits. “I guess you look presentable enough,” Miss Grant says, Kara and Lena taking that as a compliment after getting to know the woman. 

The two girls get up together, wiping their mouths clean of any food remnants. 

Kara extends her hand towards Lena. 

“You ready?” she asks.

Lena is brought back to the day of the Reaping, Kara extending her hand towards the girl in a similar gesture, asking her if she was ready to go, ready to face one of the worst days in Panem’s calendar. At the time, she nodded her head yes even though deep down, she was pooling with anxiety that was only dimmed with the weight of Kara’s hand in hers. Now, she answers the question honestly, a bright smile splitting her face. 

“Let’s go,” she says, grabbing the girl’s hand. 

They walk out of the train hand in hand, only to be greeted by almost all of District 12. The crowd cheers, applauding the two victors. Cameras flash as they capture the moment. The victors from District 12 coming home for the first time since the games. Out in the crowd, Kara sees Winn, Alex, Maggie, Lex, and Eliza all cheering together. 

“That’s my sister!” Alex screams, swinging her arm around in applause. “And her girlfriend!” she adds as she cups her hands around her mouth. 

Kara laughs at her sister’s cheering, waving specifically in her direction. 

“And that’s my stubborn ass sister too!” Lex shouts, laughing at Lena’s returned glare. 

Kara feels Lena’s hand tighten at her side, looking over to see what the girl is staring at. She follows her line of sight, landing on Mr. Luthor, standing at the edge of the crowd. He’s smiling through his tears, laughing as Lena waves enthusiastically back. 

As Kara smiles bright for the cameras, waving her free left hand, she remembers the first night of the games. Her past self had no idea what she would face, no idea what she would go through. But before all that, she still knew that they would get to this moment, this place somehow. 

The image that lulled Kara to sleep that night replays in her mind. A perfect picture of Kara and Lena’s joined hands, raised together. She decides to make it a reality, raising her and Lena’s hands into the air in symbol of them being victors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that is the end of our main story. There is a going to be an epilogue after this, but that is the end of our story. Wow. Just-. That's crazy. 
> 
> So I had an idea earlier. Obviously, I can't rewrite the next two books in the hunger games series because this story was set during the 25th hunger games so everything couldn't work. But I definitely can do certain aspects of the next few books. 
> 
> I can write Kara and Lena on the victory tour, how they deal with the light of the cameras always wanting them. I could even rewrite the third book and then just change the epilogue for this story. 
> 
> Please tell me what you guys want to see, because that will let me know what to do. 
> 
> There is only ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT of this story. So sad, but all good things? Hopefully good things have to come to an end. 
> 
> Love you guys! Please stay safe and healthy!


	38. The Happy Ending We Deserve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys this is the last chapter. I'm so sad that this story is ending but happy that I wrote it in the first place. I hope you enjoy this epilogue.

12 YEARS LATER

“Where arrrreeee you?” Lena asks playfully, drawing out the words.

She stalks through the long grass, looking around the area. The field of grass comes up to her waist, her legs brushing against the greenery. As she walks forward, she hears giggles coming from behind some brush. 

“Hmmm, I wonder where they could be?” Lena asks into the air, bringing her hand up to cup her chin in thought. 

Lena continues to hear giggles from behind the brush, stray sentences filling the cool night air. 

“She has no idea,” Lena hears the boy whisper. 

“Not a chance,” a girl whispers in return. 

Lena smiles at the innocent children, the belief they have in their transparent hiding spot. 

“Maybe...they’re right here!” Lena exclaims, jumping around the brush. 

She starts to tickle the girl and boy, eliciting squeals from them. 

“Mommy stop!” Lori pleads, writhing on the ground in giggles. 

“Please mommy!” Lilo exclaims in between breaths. 

Lena continues to tickle them, mainly underneath their armpits, right where it hurts the most. Their limbs flail from the agitation. 

“The tickle monster can never be conquered!” Lena exclaims in a monstrous voice. 

She tickles the wrangling children, until they’re all out of breath, Lena pulling them into a big group hug. She cradles Lilo into her left side and Lori into her right. 

They sit in the field of yellow long grass, looking out at the setting sun. She turns her head left and right, kissing both their cheeks. 

“Did you guys do your homework?” Lena asks. 

When both children look downwards sheepishly, Lena raises her right brow. 

“Ok then rascals, get inside and do your homework before dinner. Aunt Maggie and Aunt Alex are coming over with baby Jeremiah later, remember? You won’t want to miss out on time with your cousin,” she says, starting to stand up. Struggling at that as the two eight year olds cling to her sides. 

“Can we please play for five more minutes, mommy?” Lilo asks with his pouting eyes, lip stuck out. 

“Yeah, please mommy?” Lori asks with the same look. 

A pang shoots through Lena’s heart, knowing that she has no chance against the signature pouts, the looks that will make her do anything even though she doesn’t like to admit it. 

“Okay fine! Five more minutes, but you have to come in right after that,” Lena says, eyebrow raised in a challenge. 

“Thank you mommy!” both children squeal, flinging themselves at her in a hug. 

She hugs them close, kissing the tops of both their heads. Eventually the children let go, running off through the long grass. 

Lena walks off towards their house nearby. It’s positioned on the edge of the meadow, looking out towards the valley. The brick of the house is worn down, the maroon fading with dark spots from rain and soot. Their garden is beautiful, fresh basil and tomatoes growing in the soil. 

She smiles when she kneels down in front of the planted daisies, the white shining bright against the other flowers. 

Lena stands, walking up the front steps to open the light green door. She pauses after opening the door, turning around as she leans on the door frame. She looks out over the fields, watching Lori and Lilo play. They squeal in joy as they play tag, Lori running away from Lilo as he tries to tag her back. 

At some point, Lena feels arms snake around her waist, crossing as hands rest on the sides of her torso. 

“Hi beautiful,” Kara greets her, placing her chin on the woman’s shoulder. 

Lena smiles at the nickname, turning her head to kiss the blonde’s cheek. A blush coats the woman’s cheeks, the same pink blush after all these years. 

“Hello darling,” Lena says in response. 

Kara nuzzles her nose into Lena’s neck, smelling the perfume Lena applies every morning, the lingering oil smell from her mechanics shop in town, and finally the smell of their son and daughter. 

“Did they finish their homework?” Kara asks, kissing the curve of Lena’s jaw. 

“No. I gave them five more minutes before they have to come inside,” Lena says, knowing what Kara is going to ask next. 

“Let me guess. They gave you their signature pouts?” Kara asks with a knowing smile, moving her chin to look more towards the ravenette. 

Lena’s face takes on a guilty look, only to feel Kara’s body shake in laughter behind her. 

For a few moments, they stand in silence, soaking in the peaceful moment. Eventually, Kara speaks. 

“What are we going to do when they turn 12?” Kara asks grimly. 

Lena turns around in her arms, slinging them around the woman’s neck. 

“We’re not going to think about that right now,” Lena says, leaning in to kiss the blonde. 

She happily obliges, eyes fluttering closed at the sensation. Kara eventually pulls back, bringing her hand up to tuck a strand of black hair that had fallen loose behind Lena’s ear.

“I wish they never got older. Just stayed the way they are now. Young, small, and happy. Too innocent for the world they live in,” Kara whispers, arms slung around Lena’s waist. 

“I do too. But when they become of age and their names get put into the bowl, we will get through it. Our family is stronger than anyone knows,” Lena responds, not a sliver of doubt in her eyes. 

Kara leans forward, capturing the woman’s lips again. The blonde smooths her thumb against Lena’s hip bone, pulling the woman ever closer. 

They’re interrupted by a series of “ews” as Lori and Lilo enter back into the house through the door. 

Kara drops her head onto Lena’s shoulder, chuckling lightly. 

She turns her head around when she hears the children walking upstairs. 

“You two better go do your homework before dinner’s ready!” she calls out. 

“Yes mama,” Lillo and Lori say in unison, entering their rooms at the top of the stairs. 

Kara turns back around, smiling brightly down at Lena. She angles her head to the side, kissing the smaller woman’s nose. 

“I love you Lena Luthor-Danvers,” she whispers, blue eyes boring into green. 

“And I love you Kara Danvers-Luthor,” Lena responds, meeting the blond halfway as they both lean in. 

Lena turns around in Kara’s arms, again looking out the open door. They look towards the meadow, the stray flowers that grow in the long, thin grass. The way the colorful sky emphasizes the jagged rock of the valley, shining bright against the stone. 

For the few minutes they have, they watch the sun set on the beautiful life they built, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, um-. Wow. The story is over. It's done. I'm just-. Ooooof. Ugh, now I don't have something to do everynight. 
> 
> I just want to thank all who stuck with me this whole time, always commenting and coming back to read the new chapters. Thank you so much for leaving kudos and I really hope you enjoyed this story. I hope I did it justice and I really do hope I can add more. 
> 
> Overall, thank you. Love you guys!
> 
> ***UPDATE***  
> There is a possibility for a part 2 for this fic but the odds are low. I did start it but have lost motivation. Possibly one day I will write it and post it but nowhere in the near future.


End file.
